Descendent of the Falcon
by LadyHawkKathy
Summary: Please read my writers profile AU,This is a reworking of the second half of book 7, with a New Protagonist and narrator. The Last of the Merlins has taken back Title and Duties, One to protect and Defend Crown and Country, and two too help the Boy Who Lived. I have sent the story though a new spellcheck program and have updated it with all corrections. Second Update/edit complete
1. Chapter 1

**Descendent of the Falcon**

Chapter 1

Returning to the Long Lost Home

The owl arrived at Salem the evening of Sept 20th 1997. It had come from Britain by way of the north British islands, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, Maine, then Boston and here. A truly epic journey for any bird and it had taken by the date on the letter over two weeks to reach me.

I was at first confused as to why it hadn't been sent by Floo mail, and on why she was using a personal touch key to encrypt the letter, till I read it.

My Dearest Cassian

If you are reading this it means that the ministry has fallen to He that shall not be named and Harry Potter is missing. I know that what I am asking of you is tantamount to asking you to commit suicide, but without your help Magical Britain is all but lost. Please you are the last Heir, it is time that House Emrys once again take its place at the head of the Wizengamot.

You're Friend Amelia

I responded within a week. What Amy was asking was what I knew would soon be asked and I had been workings since my father's death to find a way of hiding my arrival in Britain but had not yet gotten it to work so my response read:

Dear Amelia

I understand the direness of the situation and I am willing to come, but as you stated yourself to come at this point would most likely mean my death and what good am I to you or Britain dead? So I ask you to give me some time to try and find a way to cloak my arrival before I undertake the journey.

The second letter arrived again being carried by the same poor bird, if there had been such a thing as frequent flier miles for owl this little guy would be traveling first class on the return flight. It was now Samhain and fall was turning cold.

Dear Cassian

Things are dangerous here and we still have no real word on Harry, though it appears he and his friends and traveling companions pulled of a raid on the ministry last week and took possession of a locket from undersecretary Umbridge. Please tell me you have found what it was you were looking for and are ready to come.

Again I responded within a week, but this time I had good news and my letter contained the hope Amelia was looking for. I told her that I had indeed found what I had been searching for and was tweaking it as I wrote so that I knew it would be ready for use very shortly. That I was in the process of making arrangements for my trip and needed her to make arrangements for the last leg of the trip from Dublin to London and to make them for the night of Dec 22nd morning of the 23rd that if I had all my calculations right I would be arriving sometime between two and five in the morning, and that I would await her confirmation letter.

Nineteen years earlier I had arrived in London, against my father's wishes, after all I was a Daughter of the house of Emrys one of the last remaining children of the line of Merlin, and outside of two short trips with my Mother when I was a young child no member of our house had lived in Britain since the late fourteenth century. My choosing to move from Salem to London was in my father's mind an abandonment of the family, they though did not need me; at least they hadn't needed me then.

After all I was the third child in the family, a family who normally only had two children per generation. A son to take the title of Merlin when the patriarch chose to pass it on and a second child to become headMaster or Mistress of the Salem Academy. So when I was born my Mother, who had come from England, had claimed me as hers and had taught me that I could do whatever I wished with my life, and what I wished was to live in London and become a great Healer.

So at seventeen I had packed up my things and moved to London with a head full of dreams and a letter to the head Healer at St. Mungo's from my mother asking him to allow me to learn the craft under their skilled Healers. Before I could do that though I met Amelia Bones, young pretty and having just finished her seventh year at Hogwarts School of wizardry and witchcraft. We became like sisters that very first day and have remained close even after I had to return to Salem, with her visiting me in Salem for the first ten years and then letters and chats by Mirror.

It had been nearly 10 years since I had last seen Amelia outside of her mirror calls and such when the call for aid came, leaving the rest of the wizarding world to believe she had died when Voldemort's Death Eaters had attacked her home, I though know better. I had emergency pulled her out when the attack reached a no win point. The House was on fire and she had already made sure Susan had escaped when she opened the Floo line. Burned and bleeding she called to me and I responded by reaching through the Floo and pulling her to me, a feat that others thought could not be done, but I had no choice I had already lost too many people I loved and was not going to lose another.

It would take six months of healing and therapy to get Amelia back to normal so she could return to London to help the resistance in fighting Tommy Boy and working to protect Mundane Britain from the danger heading its way. During that time she had told me of how Sirius Black had died, something she had mentioned in a letter that she had sent a few months earlier, and about the prophecy that claimed that a child born the end of July 1980 would be the one to defeat Tommy Boy. This had lead Dumbledore to believe that it was either Harry, James and Lily Potter's boy or Neville, Alice and Frank Longbottom's son, who was to be the prophesied champion. Both couples had also been my friends while I had lived in London, as had Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius who was a bit more than a friend. So with Sirius's recent death I just couldn't lose Amelia. James and Lily had died while in hiding leaving Harry behind to be raised by her sister, Frank and Alice had been tortured into insanity leaving Neville to be raised by his Grandmother. Then there was Peter who was in hiding having turned traitor, resulting in James and Lily's deaths and Sirius's imprisonment for twelve years, and Remus who had stopped talking to me for many years after Peter's betrayal since he had been of the belief that the betrayal had been at Sirius's hand. This had caused a rift between he and I until Sirius's escape and the proof of Peter's guilt had come to light. Since then we had exchanged a few letters and were slowly rebuilding our friendship.

After Amelia was healed she left to take over as head of the Queen's Royal wizard protector squad, letters had arrived via Floo on a fairly regular basis for over a year, keeping me abreast of how the fight was going. That was till the letter in September. That letter explained what had happened. Things had gone as my father had believed they would and now I had to do what I had been dreading but know I must for months. I had originally planned on coming soon, but on my terms not like this. I had things I needed to do, that I had wanted to do before taking up the title and badge of office, but now it looked as though those plans would be put on a back burner till time and circumstances permitted.

The final confirmation letter arrived the morning of Dec 20th with the instructions to meet her at a small pub in the west of Dublin at or around 5am. I really didn't want to do this, at least not like this. My family had left Britain over 500 years ago when a split in the two sides of the family line became irreconcilable. Since then the branch of the family that had remained in Britain had died out, and the Branch I was descended from had started and continued to run the Salem Academy.

I had been the odd man out being the unheard of third child so the responsibility of the academy or of heir, had not fallen to me and I was very happy I hadn't been the one to be slated for either. My Aunt Viviana my father's younger sister had gladly taken on the mantle of HM when My Great Aunt had died. And my father had inherited the mantle of Head of the Family and the title of Merlin after my Grandfather's death, which marked my oldest brother heir apparent and my second brother designate for the Headmaster spot after Viv.

That changed when I received the letter that told me I had to move back home. There had been an accident and my second brother was dead. My Mother was dying and wished to see me before she did. Without even getting a chance to say my goodbyes I left, still hoping I would get a chance once the grieving was less and I had a chance to come to terms with the loss to return to the life I had to leave.

That though was not to be. My Father made it clear that I had obligations to the family that outweighed my own desires and wants. So I put away the dream that I would have a normal life and swallowed the grieve over losing my Mother and Brother and chose to instead put my energies into my studies, getting and MD in Mundane median as well as my degrees as a healer in the magical world. After all it would be decades till Viv would retire and I needed to prove myself to be more than just a place–sitter, as my father put it.

My Father had made it very clear not long after my return home that he would return to Britain to fight as head of house adding the strength of the Merlin to the battle against Voldemort when word came that Tommy Boy had been destroyed by Baby Harry. His feeling on that matter was that this was only a temporary gap in the Blood purist's battle to take over Magic Britain, but until he really had to reveal his existence he would stay here in the States.

Over ten years would pass before we started to hear rumors that Tommy Boy had returned. Then the attack on Amelia happened and Father felt he could stay out of the Battle no longer. He chose to fly out of Kennedy Airport to Paris and our estates there, and then he and my oldest Brother would use the Floo from the estate to enter directly into the chamber of the Wizengamot. This would let all know that House Emrys still existed and that Magical Britain would not fall while a Merlin lived.

The flight was to leave on July 17th 1996 at 8:45. And arrive early on the morning of the 18 in Paris. News Repost said that witnesses had seen an explosion just after the flight past over Long Island, 212 passenger and 18 crew died that day as the plane came apart over the Atlantic. Speculation was that a missile had hit the plane, but by the reading my Aunt and the Aurors from the US ministry had gotten it had been a magical attack that had taken out the plane. We buried my father and brother in the family plot, and my heart ached, but I had no time for grieving all the family matters that were now before me needed to be dealt with, along with several projects I was working on.

I was now alone with only my Aunt Viv and my distant cousin Gaylord the last of my family. I found myself seeking answers from a source that the rest of my family had long forgotten about. In the family library back behind long forgotten tomes was a portrait of the original Merlin. I remembered talking to him when I was a child finding his company more enjoyable than that of my father and Brothers. He had been my best teacher and had helped me to see hope in what I thought was a hopeless situation.

It had been nearly two decades since I had sought his counsel, but I needed it now and before I headed off to London to answer the call for help I found myself heading to the library. There was something about the portrait I had not seen before or maybe it was that since I had not known Sirius before it was something that would not had been noticed. His eyes were the same silver as Sirius and had that same twinkle or maybe it was just that I wanted it to be there. I asked him to forgive my not visiting with him for so very long. He smiled and told me he understood why I had not been around and he was willing to help me that he knew why I was there and would give me what answers he could.

When I left the library I had new hope and the information that I had prayed he would confirm for me. So I was now ready to head to London and the life I thought was lost was not gone just had to be incorporated in the live that faith had now handed me.

Clearly Tommy Boy had spies here in the States and was aware of our family, even if the rest of Magical Britain wasn't. And just as clearly I was going to have to find a way to get to Britain that would not be able to be discovered by Tommy Boy and his agents. My father's agents had found a good dozen spies and where sure they had them all, I on the other hand wasn't as sure and wasn't going to trust my life on their beliefs. So it was time to visit my cousin Gaylord in Canada.

The Matane Wildlife Preserve was about a day's drive from Salem. All the Mundanes thought it was a preserve for Moose, Elk and other common creatures, what they didn't know was that it also housed Dragons and Firebirds and other Magical creature. Gaylord was the gamekeeper who oversaw the care of the magical creatures and made sure that only those with magic know of them. I had prearranged with him to use a Great Northern Dragon to get me as far as Greenland. From there I had arranged to have a Long boat to take me to Ireland. Where a small but secure force was to meet me and spirit me into London. I had managed to create a cloaking rune that would keep my arrival hidden till I was ready to reveal myself. It was a charm that would work only for me since it was keyed to my magical signature alone. I had started working on it the day after my father's death, and had managed to perfect it about 3 months ago. Now it was being put to the truest of tests, and I prayed to my Great Grandsire that it didn't fail.

The long drive gave me time to think back and remember the last time I was in London and the life I had left behind. It was the summer of 78 when I moved into the row house in London. It was one of the many properties that were family owned and Father was willing to let me have it to use since he felt he could keep an eye on me better if I were in a family house. Not long after I started working at St. Mungo's Amelia moved in with me. She was starting Auror training and the row house was a great central location. Amelia was dating Remus and he was the one who then introduced me to James and Lily. James then introduced me to Peter and Sirius, along with Frank and Alice. Within a month Lily and Alice had also moved into the row house and we all became the best of friends.

That summer was one of the happiest of my life. Our days filled with work and our nights spent mainly at the row house talking and eating and enjoying our freedom away from school starting our lives as adults. The group was made up of couples, some more in love than others, but couples none the less, James and Lily, Frank and Alice, Peter and Katy, Amelia and Remus, and then there was Sirius and I. We had originally started dating because our mutual friends felt we made a good couple, but by the time summer faded into fall there was more there than either he or I was willing to admit to.

Then things got bad it was just after mid-summer, Voldemort and his followers choose late that summer to really start ramping up their campaign of blood purity. Attacks that had been infrequent became commonplace, and young wizards barely out of school began joining the Auror training program. Amelia, James, Sirius, and Frank all joined the Aurors while Lily, Alice and I went to work at St. Mungo's. Remus and Peter had gotten jobs as warders out of one of the small shops in Diagon Alley. Which was where Peter had met Katy a young rather plain girls who seemed to really care about him.

I managed to arrive at the preserve before midday and quickly thanked Gaylord for his help and got on my way to Greenland. The Dragon flight had been a few hours and I was happy I had a yeti fur and Dragonhide long cloak to wrap tightly around me. And that I was in an enclosed rider's cage, which allowed my mind to drift back to the memories of my youth and get a short nap prior to landing in Greenland.

Memories of so many days learning the art of healing and discovering who I was or at least who I thought I was. That young girl with the silver eyes and long black hair, Lily and James had teased Sirius and I about how similar we were in looks and in attitude, and how we had fallen so easily into finishing each other's sentences or just without thinking would take food off each other's plates. With all that though we never did consummate our relationship, choosing to wait till the time felt right, it was almost as if we both knew that this few months was all we would have.

I woke as the Dragon landed and found that I had been crying in my sleep. I had nor grieved over Sirius having told myself that it was fated not to be so why shed a tear. Now though after talking with the portrait there was a spark of hope and the tears I had refused to cry were falling now.

The long boat to take me across to Ireland was already waiting it was early morning on Dec 22ct. The captain saw me to a small cabin where there was food waiting for me. This leg of the trip would take a good day and would have tested my constitution if I hadn't brought with me a bottle of sea sickness draft, which allowed me to sleep most of the trip away.

It was late October when the letter from my father arrived telling me that my brother was dead and my Mother was gravely ill and ordering me to return home. I was crushed but knew that I had no choose, so with a heavy heart I left London and my friends behind, swearing Amelia to silent over the information about my family. I did manage to stay in contact with everyone for about two years. Then Lily and James went into hiding and the letters from Sirius became less and less till they stopped completely. That was when I received the letter from Amelia telling me of Lily and James's deaths and Sirius's imprisonment. I knew in my heart that he was not the one who had betrayed Lily and James, but unless I could get back to Britain I had no way of proving it.

It was about two years later that, that Amelia and her niece Susan came for their first visit. And for three years we spent our summers together, Amy and Susan joining me at the cottage by the bay. She and Remus had broken things off the year after I have returned to Salem, she never did tell me why and when I asked she would just shake her head and say that things were complicated. Then in 85 Amelie was promoted to Deputy Auror and no longer had the luxury of taking the summers off, Her last visit in 90 had been the shortest ever only staying a day. Letters kept me up to date on everything including her promotion to Department head after Bertie's death. Then came the call for help, and now here I was heading to Britain and praying all would goes as planned.

I had finished off the bottle of the draft about 3 hours out of Ireland very early in the morning on the 23rd. and was angry with myself that I hadn't brought more. Then I found out that the shop in Dublin where I was hoping to buy some at was out as well and that I was running tight on time and would not be able to brew more before leaving for London. The schedule Amelia had sent to me said she would meet me by 5am at a specific pub in the west of Dublin.

Amelia along with two Aurors and two MI4 agents meet me the small pub in the west of Dublin. I nodded to her as she sat down across the table from me; the other four all took up strategic positions around the room leaving no entrance unwatched.

"Well Cass it's good to see you made it without settle off any alarms. "

I smiled, "As if, really Amy you forget who you're talking to. My family has managed to keep hidden from the eyes of magical Britain for over five hundred years."

"True but it's not magical Britain that I'm worried about, it's You-Know-Who. And before you tell me that not saying his name only adds to his power I would remind you that we have found that he has somehow found a way of tracking every time his name is said."

"It's not a somehow it's a very old runic ritual that my Grandsire created that links your name to a source of power. That is why I can't enter Britain without this." I opened my shirt to show her the rune that would keep my magical presence from being detected. "Only I can dispel it and it is keyed to me alone, though now that I have figured out how to create it I can create one for anyone once I have read their magical signature."

"Well then we will put faith in your skill then and get underway."

She handed me a new passport and we headed to the harbor to meet a boat that would take us to the heart of London. It wasn't until we were well underway that Amelia dropped the bombshell on me.

"You do understand that there is a price to pay for taking back up the Merlin's seat in the Wizengamot". I gave her a sidelong glare. "You see to take the seat and the title means to take back up ALL the duties that have gone along with it. One of those duties that no wizard has held since your ancestors died out is that of Royal Magi, and the Queen has ordered me to make it very clear that your return to Britain is at her behest and that she expects you to take back up the mantle of Royal Magi. You work for Her as liaison between the mundane world and the magical. It will no longer be a communication between the ministers. All communications will be sent to her through you, and from her through you to the ministry and counsel. She knows that this part of your role will not go into effect till you are ready to reveal yourself to the Wizengamot, but as soon as you do it will go into effect. Till then your main duties to her will be protecting the royal family."

I took a deep breath. "So be it, but I will need to have time to myself if I am to save Britain from Tommy Boy and his followers. Yes, I understand that the prophecy said that only Harry will be able to kill him. By the way I would still like to know someday the whole story of how you found that one out, not just that little bit about there being a fight in the ministry and Harry was involved and you found out while interviewing him afterwards. The whole story Amy since you said it was part of the reason Sirius was in the Arch chamber in the first place. But yes I know the boy will need help and if I am to keep the Magical world from losing a large portion of its citizenry I need to finish the potions and spell work I have been working on."

The Boat to take us from Dublin to London was a small tug with an extremely small cabin that Amelia and I were to share. I wrapped myself in my cloak and tried to relax. After a few miserable hours on the rough sea we made land at a small dock on the Thames, a dock that had not been visible minutes before. It took me a while to get my land legs back and for my stomach to stop screaming at me. I had prayed that there was still enough of the sea sickness draft in my system to hold me over on the trip from Dublin to London. I was woefully wrong. The family curse of extreme seasickness had gotten me, and all I wanted to do was find a bed and sleep the sickness away for the next day. That though was not to be.

Amelia led the way up a long tunnel and into what looked to be a dungeon area. No one needed to tell me where we were. I could feel the magic and read the memories. We ascended a narrow staircase to the main floor. And there they were, the two young Princes' huddled together in the small chamber under the stairs. They had died there after their uncle had locked them in the tower. This should not have happened and my ancestors were as much responsible for their deaths as was their uncle. After all it was the Merlin's duty to protect the Royal family and keep them safe, even if that meant protecting them from themselves. The weight of the failure of my predecessors was clearly present in this place and the weight of the mantle I now was to take on was just a clear. I bowed to the Princes and asked for their forgiveness for my family's failure. The both smiled at me and nodded.

"I hate to interrupt, but the crown awaits." Amelia's impatience and discomfort was clear on her face.

I turned and followed Amelia and the Guards up a second stairway and down a long and clearly unused corridor. Amelia tapped the large door at the end of the corridor three times with her wand and with a begrudging creek the door swung open. The chamber within was not overly large but had clearly been built to impress. In a throne upon a high dais sat the Queen, to her right stood Prince Philip, to her left Prince William. No sign of Charles which clearly made the statement that he would never hold the throne. I took three long strides past the Guards and Amelia then went down on one knee on the first step of the dais. "Your Majesty." I presented my wand across my upturned palms. "I Cassian Emrys, Dame Merlonius offer to you my wand in service to the throne." I could feel my heartbeat in my throat as the silence seemed to drag on.

"We accept your offer of service as Royal Magi and protector of the Crown and ask that you be our representative and voice in Magical Britain." A hand fell softly upon my shoulder. "Rise my Merlin and accept your charge."

As I began to rise the rune on my chest began to burn and the weight of the Queen's hand on my shoulder felt as if it had increased in weight a hundred fold. My mind quickly grasped what was happening and I knew that I had underestimated the power of the oath. Too late now, I had already offered my wand and my loyalty to the crown. I either stood and let the oath take effect or I fall to both knees and beg for the Crown's forgiveness and withdraw my offer, and pray the Queen doesn't declare me traitor. I reached up and laid my hand over the Queen's.

"As your Magi and protector your Highness I am charged with keeping you safety with that being my

Duty I ask you now to indulge me and please find a place of safety behind me. The rune on my chest that was meant to hide me from those who would keep me from taking my position as your magi is about to break and I have no idea what will happen when it does."

Elisabeth lifted her hand from my shoulder and signaled the two Princes to follow her as she passed out of my sight behind me.

"Amelia when you leave with the Royals place a seal on the door and I will then finish rising." The door behind me closed and I felt the seal set in. With all in place I grabbed my wand firmly and rose to my full height. The rune on my chest pulsed then burst in a wave of power and light blinding me for nearly a minute. When my sight cleared before me on the stairs sat a phoenix. He rose into the air and flow over me raining down tears into my eyes and onto my chest healing the burns before he landed on my shoulder.

"Well now that was a bit unexpected and bloody powerful. "

I wheel around to find Amelia standing by the door, the seal she had put up lay in shards at her feet.

"Damn it Amy, are you okay."

"I'm fine, the seal held long enough to take the brunt of the blast". She walked over to where I stood, "Well hello, Fawkes." She stroked the phoenix upon my shoulder. "When we buried Dumbledore last year Fawkes fly off. He had been Dumbledore's familiar for as long as he had been the head of the Wizengamot."

I reached over and scratched Fawkes neck "So Fawkes, you are the judge of the change and are to now be my familiar." He cawed and leaned his head into mine. "Well I guess there is no hiding the fact that the Merlin has returned to Britain."

The door opened behind Amelia. "We are happy to see that Our Merlin still stands"

I inclined my head not wanting to bow with Fawkes still seated upon my shoulder. "Your Majesty."

"Now if you will join us back at the dais we shall conclude the ceremony."

Everyone moved back to where they had been prior to the near disaster and the Queen picked up the ceremony as if nothing had interrupted it.

"As your Monarch and Queen of all Britain's we name thee Merlin, High Magi and Royal Wizard of All Britain. Let it be known from this day hence that when you speak you speak for the Crown and that your actions shall be to protect and serve Britain and its Royal Family in all things." With that she placed around my neck the seal of my station. A medal I had only seen in portrait in the family library.

I did my best to bow without losing Fawkes and kissed the ring upon the Queen's hand, the symbol of the station.

"Now that, that is complete let us see to the safety of my Kingdom."

"As you wish." I turned to Amelia. "What kind of wards and protections are around the royal residences and what kinds of safety measures have been taken?" Amelia pulled out a long list of all the wards and safeties that had been put into place to keep Voldemort and the Death Eaters at bay. I went over everything and nodded. "It looks good for now, but as soon as I get a chance to go through the family library and see what is there I may make some changes or additions. For now Your Highnesses I leave these able protectors to continue with their jobs and beg your leave to go to my family estates. There is much in the private library that has been lost or forgotten that may add us." I reached into my cloak pocket and pulled out a small bag. Inside it were 2 dozen call stones. "These are to be given one each to every member of the royal family that is in the line of sustention, And to the captains of the guard on duty. If I am needed all anyone has to do is grab the stone and think my name. If I am not needed I will return in one month to make any and all changes." I looked up at Amy, "I put my trust in you to be my eyes and ears and to keep the Royal Family safe till I return." I then looked up at the Queen.

She smiled and nodded. "Go and return quickly."

I nodded in return then turned on my heels and headed out the door, Amy close behind me. Once on the other side of the door I handed her a viewing mirror. "I expect a report every evening and if you need to talk just call. I'd say use the phone but I doubt there is one in the old manor."

She kissed me on the cheek, "Before you apparate out, what are you looking for at the manor."

"Good question, but for safety sake I'm not telling. What I will say is that if I am right I will be able to save many lives and possible bring back one or two."

"A resurrection spell You have to be joking."

"Maybe, maybe not. There are many stories in my family as to what may be found in the library. After all the old man was a frigging genius." With that Fawkes did a half step placing a talon on each shoulder and we were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Stones of My Heart

In front of me lay an open field or at least that is what my eyes told me, my heart said otherwise. I took a step, and then another and I felt the power of the wards enfold me in a misty fog. A third step then a fourth and the mist began to clear. Fawkes had flown ahead and was sitting on the stone wall that surrounded the manor. It was beautiful, romances' in style with a tile roof and large fruit trees all around. The only thing that did not seem to be Roman were the large heavy wood shutters that were closed to keep out the cold. Smoke came from all the chimneys and before I could reach for the handle to the large main door, it flew open.

"Welcome Mistress." Two small house elves chimed out in chores. "We have been waiting for your arrival ever since the great seat announced your arrival in Britain. We of course took it upon ourselves to make sure no-one else saw that you had returned." The female elf smiled up at me. "We knew you would not want You-Know-Who to know you have returned so we have covered the great chair with a gees to keep it cloaked till you choose to announce your return."

I smiled down at them both then put my arm out to Fawkes. "Well best we get in before all this lovely heat escapes." Inside, the manor was well appointed with comfortable looking chairs and heavy velvet curtains over the windows. I hung my cloak on a coat rack near the door and sat down in a chair near the fire. Fawkes took his seat on a grand perch that was clearly made for him.

"So my dear elves what are your names so I may call you proper, and are there any others besides the two of you?"

The male came to stand in front of me. "I am Tap and this is Magpie, he then snapped his fingers and four more elves appeared. "This is Pint, Kettle, Dipper, and lastly Ginger we are the last of the house elves sworn to serve House Emrys at this home Ringer and Chime are at your Row House in London. We have kept watch in the council chamber that you Great Grand Sire built waiting for the sign of your return. We knew that after your Grand Uncle's death that someday the Heir would return to take the seat. So now my Lady Cassian what would you ask of us."

"Other than to do your duties as you see fit, to keep my presence in Britain quiet, and make sure that I am undisturbed by all except those of the Royal Family and those named upon this list." I handed Tap the list. On it where five names: Amelia Bones, Remus Lupin, Harry James Potter, Hermione Grainger, and Ronald Weasley. "If any of these wizards show up at my door you are to come and get me right away. For now though, I would just like a hot meal, a warm bath and a cozy bed, my trip was long and lacking in comfort or good food.

Before I could say another word a hot bowl of venison stew was on a small table in front of me, my heavy boots had been removed and warm soft slippers had replaced them and I could hear the sound of running water. The stew was a delight and the bath smelled of lavender and roses. All the aches of my trip melted away and I knew that after a good sleep I would be ready to tackle the library. The master bedroom was cavernous with a fireplace to match and a bed that could easily sleep four to five with heavy velvet drapes that drew themselves closed once I was in the bed under the thick down comforter.

I had not realized just how sleep-deprived I really was till my head hit the pillow and I was asleep before the drapes around the bed were closed.

I woke to a soft glow around what felt like 3am. I reached up to the peg on the pole at the foot of the bed and quickly wrapped myself in the soft terry robe I had found waiting when I got out of the tub, and then I quietly opened the drapes at the foot of the bed to look out and see from where the glow was coming. It wasn't Fawkes; he was soundly asleep in a large cage in the corner of the room. I adjusted my position to look over to the fireplace. Yes it was giving off a steady glow, but it was not the glow that had woken me, no that came from the figure seated in the comfy chair by the fire. I recognized him right off from the portrait in our library at home. It had been he who had told me of the possibility of the potions I was looking for and the ceremony I needed when I went to speak with him the day before I started my journey. Myrddin Emrys, my great grand sire sat in a semi transparent state by the low burning fire. There had not been any stories of his ghost remaining at the manor, but here he was and clearly I needed to get my happy ass up and greet him.

"Sire", I said as I quietly joined him by the fire. I did my best bow. "I am Cassian Emrys, your many times over great granddaughter."

He smiled up at me then motioned me to sit in the chair across from him. His voice was soft but strong and clear. "Clearly the blood runs true in you, child, for your resemblance to your great grandmother is remarkable, along with you bearing her name I feel as if I may well be talking to my long gone wife. All that tells me that I am not is your manner, and that too is just off, I believe due more to the era of your birth rather than your teaching. "

I dropped my eyes a blushed. "You honor me Great Merlin."

"Let us not have any of that, Merlin will do child."

I had never seen a portrait of Cassian and was not aware if any even existed, and I really wanted to know more about her since all I know was that I had been given her name, but that would have to wait, there were other things of more pressing importance. "So, Merlin I assume that there is a reason for your late night visit."

"You assume correctly child for it would take a great need to have awaken me and draw me back to the home I dearly loved. Tell me child, why it is that a Daughter of mine holds the title of Merlin and has chosen to return to our home?"

I took a deep breath and convey to him the story of how I had come to be the last of our line. I then went into the story of the assault upon Britain by Voldemort and his followers. The whole time he sat hands pursed in front of him, eyes closed listening to every word.

"I understand. This Dark Wizard is of little consequence, but the young Wizard who shall bring forth his demise is and the man who is known to us as his Godfather is also of great need."

"That Merlin is why I am here. Your portrait in the Library in Salem told me that there may well be tomes here that could give me the means to aid Harry and keep him from having to sacrifice himself as the prophecy clearly states and a ceremony that could retrieve Sirius from the land of the dead, and give me the potion components needed to make the Draught of Reunion to call souls back to their bodies."

"Clearly you are a child of my lineage for only one of my line would even dare such powerful magics." He stood and put his hand out for mine. "I will think upon your request of knowledge and meet you after your morning meal in the library." He walked me back to the bed. It hadn't hit me till then that his hand was solid to my touch, and warm unlike other ghosts. The look in his eye told me he knew what had just hit me. "No child I am not a ghost, but then again I am not the man I once was either. I am the Merlin and I live on through this home I built with my own hand. I infused myself into every stone and have been here waiting till I was truly needed. All the prior Merlins were men of honor and pride and did not need nor want my aid. You my daughter are the one I have been waiting for. You are not so prideful as to think you can solve everything on your own and you are the one who will keep this family line from dying out. That though we will discuss tomorrow," He pulled back the drape for me to climb back into bed.

I hung the robe I had been wearing back on the peg then turned to say good night, not thinking about the fact that I stood at the bedside naked as the day. Merlin's figure seemed to grow solid and took on a healthy skin tone, the lines on his aged face grew softer and his hair went from silver to black. This was no longer the Grandsire I know from the portrait, but a Merlin in his prime and I blushed under his gaze, a Merlin who looked like an older version of the man I loved and lost, and hoped to be able to bring back to the world of the living.

"You truly are my Cassy and I would ask one thing of you that would help me attune to you and be of better aid." I nodded and patted the bed; I knew what he was asking and if attuning our energies would help him to help me then yes. Besides the fact that he looked so like Sirius that it made my blood run hot in response just helped to make me feel that this was right. "Then no longer child of my line when you are here, but wife until the day you have retrieved your husband. Then and only then will I gracefully step aside and hand you over to him so that our line will continue to thrive." He dropped his own robes to the floor revealing a well-muscled and well-endowed body.

Outside of Sirius I had not found any man able to get my blood running and so I had not had a man as lover or husband. Sirius and I had never been able to consummated our love, choosing to keep our relationship as just short of that last intimacy until such time that we could be together without the fear of my father's displeasure or of the danger of Tommy Boy hanging over us .

"I have not yet had the pleasures of a husband so I ask of you to be a gentle teacher." He smiled then picked me up and laid me gently in the bed.

"By the time you have retrieved your husband, I will leave him with a wife that will be his pleasure mate in bed as well as partner in all other things." His body was warm and the muscles ripped where my hands touched. His kisses brought fire to my flesh and I arched under his touch responding by instinct. Before I could translate what was happening into clear thought I felt his massive manhood between my legs and my breath caught as the pain of its penetration brought tears to my eyes that soon were replaced with screams of pleasure. Our bodies and energies, magical and physical joined and linked and a surge of power ran through me that made my mind go fuzzy. Each thrust took me to new leaves of pleasure until all went white in a blinding explosion of pure ecstasy. I could feel his hands grip my hips even tighter as he continued to thrust into me, deeper and deeper keeping the waves of orgasmic joy rolling over me until with a great deep moan he exploded inside me, leaving us both lying upon the bed exhausted, wrapped in a lover's embrace.

I woke to an empty bed and the smell of a hearty breakfast. I took a quick shower and dressed in my work robes, then took a slow wander around the manor until I found the kitchen and nine elves dashing about, three more than I had been introduced to last night. That was when Magpie spotted me and stopped dead.

"We are very sorry Mistress, Lord Merlin told us to not wake you this morning. Then Kreacher, Dobby, and Winky showed up and we," She lowered her head. "We became distracted. Please do not punish us."

I smiled and patted her on top of the head. "Why would I do that, you have my breakfast ready and I don't mind eating in the kitchen, besides I would like to know why we have three new house elves."

"That one I can answer." Merlin came walking into the kitchen behind me. A quick kiss on my cheek and the theft of a sausage off my plate, as he took the seat next to me, "I had not realized just how much I missed the taste of food, but back to our three guests. It appears that these three little ones are attached to young Mr. Potter."

"Dobby and Winky are free elves and chose to help Harry Potter," Dobby stepped forward, "Kreacher is attached to the Black Family and since Harry is now Lord Black he is attached to Harry Potter. We have come to see you Mistress Merlin to ask for your help. Harry Potter has gone off to find the evil things that he who should not be named has created to keep himself alive."

"Kreacher had one of the evil things, Master Regulus had asked that I destroy it, but Kreacher failed and the Mundungus Fletcher stole it. But Master Harry retrieved it and was going to return to house black, but he and his friends were followed and they fled."

"And unless Harry Potter calls for us we cannot find him to add him." Winky added.

I put my fork down and sipped my tea, "Well now what is it that you think I can do."

"You are the Great Merlin will you help us find Harry Potter we know he needs us." Her eyes were pleading and clearly she was desperate.

"If Harry is using spells to conceal himself from Tommy Boy then it may be beyond even my ability to find him." Winky's head began to drop and Dobby put an arm around her. "But if we don't try we will never know." Clearly this gave her and the other two some hope that they needed. I looked over at Merlin who was busy finishing off the platter of sausage, as if to ask if he had any ideas.

"I will help you Cass go through the spell books to see what we can find, but yes I have an idea that might work." He looked down at the three little elves, "Do you have something that was personal to Harry or his friends?" Kreacher produced a sack that had in it some clothing that had been left behind. "Well now follow me." Merlin led the way to the library. The library was out of place in comparison to the rest of the manor. The ceiling rose a good forty feet and if it wasn't for the fact that it was a magic library I would have thought it was a TARDIS. From the center of the ceiling hung a pendulum and on the floor underneath it was a mosaic map of Britain. Merlin smiled then took a bite out of an apple he had grabbed on the way out of the kitchen.

"I am gathering by that smile that this was not here earlier."

"Nope." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve "As I stated, I have an idea that old magic may work where spells will not."

I smiled back at him. "I remember my father using a much smaller version of this to find my brother when he had wandered off when we were children. He said that because of all the spells and wards that had been put up to keep us safely hidden that this was the only thing that would work." I put my hand out to Kreacher for the bag. Walking across to the pendulum I closed my eyes and pictured Lily and James then reached in. An old worn flannel shirt came to my hand. "This was Harry's?" The three elves all nodded. I rubbed it on the iron weight until I felt the static charge build between the two. "That should do it. If the pendulum can find him we will know soon" It began to slowly swing in ever changing paths working its way across all of Britain. Then it stopped in mid swing over a wooded area not far from the manor. Dobby grabbed Wickey and Kreacher's hands and the three blinked out. "Well that was interesting."

"Now that, that is concluded let us set to work on the ritual you need to perform to retrieve Sirius." We walked over to a wall on the south end of the library where Merlin's portrait hung along with a portrait of a beautiful woman with eyes like mine and hair the same color, and nose the same shape, and well it was almost like looking at a mirror outside of her hair length and her clothing and she was older with just a touch of grey streaking her hair. The portrait giggles behind her hand. "Did I not tell you Love that I would return to you some day?"

"Yes, my Sweet, you did and she even bears your name."

"And what other name would you have me use? "

"Hold on. Yes, I look like you and I have been named for you, but I am my own person."

"As was I child, but souls can be reborn and clearly you and I share one soul. If you don't believe me put my ring upon your figure and we will know one way or the other."

Merlin opened a small wooden box that held a simple ring set with an oval shaped garnet. He took the ring and slipped it onto my left index finger. A flare of red light came from the stone and linked to the ring in the portrait, linking Cassian and I together. With that I knew she was right, we were of one soul, but not quite the same person for each incarnation brings to a soul new knowledge and helps them grow. What this did bring to me was an understanding; I had always been good at magic's my father told me had not been used in centuries as if I had an innate knowledge about them. Clearly I had been reaching back to that part of my soul that was Cassian to help me understand and use the old magic.

Merlin wrapped his arms around me. "Will you be well?"

"Is this why you came to me and why you are helping me?"

"Yes and no. Yes, you are my Cassian and I love you and always will, but no that is not the only reason. Come, his wand tapped the wall between the two portraits and they parted revealing a room that had not been opened for longer than anyone could remember. "This is my private library it has not been accessed since my death. The portraits on the outer wall were painted not long before Cassian and I each died. They are our last portraits, these are our first."

Cassian and I truly were mirror images, and then I looked at Merlin's portrait, and had to take a seat. His resemblance to Sirius was shocking and I was at a loss as to what to say. "You see Cassy you're drawn to return to London was not just because it felt like home. Soul calls to soul and Sirius though he does not have my whole soul, possesses the larger part of mine. The Black family line has within it a very small portion of Emrys blood, not enough for Sirius to claim the Merlin's seat, but enough to give my soul a home. When he fell through the Trilithon body and soul it locked the soul to him and thus will keep the soul from ever being reborn. So helping you bring him back into the world of the living helps me as well as Sirius. And once he is brought here the two pieces of our soul can once again become one. Like you he will still be his own person, but he will then be able to call upon my knowledge." He walked over to a shelf of scrolls and pulled out a rather large one then unrolled it on the stone table. "This is why I brought you here to my study."

Upon the scroll was an in-depth sketch of Stonehenge. Each Trilithon was labeled, east was the rising sun and the summer solstice, the west was the setting sun and winter solstice, the south was the entrance and birth gate, and the north was marked as the sacrifice and death gate. "When I was young I rebuilt the great Stone Dance and studied its use. I found that the Northern trilithon gate was linked directly to the underworld. As I grow older I realized that to leave the gate where it was on the plane was too dangerous, so with the help of several other witches and wizard we moved it to the place where it sits now. We had already built the council chamber where the heads of each family line could meet and work to keep a peace between the wizards and the mundanes. We then built the chamber of secrets a place where we could keep safe those things too dangerous or too abusable to be left unguarded." He then unrolled a second scroll. "This is my study of the Northern Gate. As you see here most are killed outside of the gate and their soul is then drawn into it to pass on to be judged then move onto their next incarnation. Those who pass through body and soul are stuck, they are neither dead nor are they alive. They are stuck in a limbo state. If they are left in this state to long the body and soul will shrivel and cease to exist. There is a limited time to bring someone back through the gate. That time is their age divided by ten, but the longer they are on the death side of the gate the worse the effects are on their body and soul. So it was my conclusion that anything more than two years is too long. Also there are two times of the year that it is easier to bring someone back without causing them more harm in the retrieval. We have passed the first and have barely a month till the second. So I will leave you to study the scroll and decide which method of retrieval would be best. I would though point out that your new friend Fawkes may serve you well in this endeavor."

Merlin left me to study the scroll and make notes on how best to proceed. Being the healer that I was, I came to the conclusion that if I sent Fawkes through the gate to find Sirius and lead him back to the side of the living that a large part of the damage that those being brought back would be mitigated. That it was the fragile state of the body along with the spells or ceremonies used to draw them back through the gate that caused the rending of the body.

I had just finished writing down what I felt would work best when Magpie popped into the study. "Mistress you told us not to disturb you unless one of those on the list were to arrive."

I was just about to ask her who when Dobby popped in. "We have found him and brought Harry Potter and his friends here to you, Mistress Merlin. When we found them they had just destroyed the locket and were wet and cold and in need of food."

I shooed the two elves out of the study and ordered them to get lunch for five ready. I saw the three young wizards before they saw me. Clearly they had been on the run for months and had not had the availability of a shower or steady food. "Tap, Pint and Kettle please see to it that Mr. Potter, Miss Grainger, and Mr. Weasley are given guest quarters where they can bathe and are given clean robes to use. I am sure that Mr. Potter's elves will see to his needs but I am assigning you Pint, and You Kettle to assist Mr. Weasley and Miss Grainger."

Both Ron and Hermione thanked me as they were being lead off but Harry just stood there staring at me. "I know you; you are in some of the pictures that Hagrid gave me."

"You have a good eye Harry and I will repeat what I am sure others have already told you. You have your mother's eyes and your father's looks." He smiled. "I am Cassian Emrys, and Your Mother, Alice Longbottom, and Amelia Bones and I shared a Row house back is the summer and fall of 76. I also dated you Godfather, and if I had not been recalled to Salem I would have been your Godmother instead of Alice Longbottom."

"Neville's mom is my godmother?" I walked along next to Harry since it seemed to be the only way to get him to head in the direction Tap was trying to lead him. "Dobby said that you are the new Merlin. We were taught that there was only one Merlin."

"That my dear boy is a fallacy that the ministry and Hogwarts have chosen to foster, but we can discuss that at lunch if you wish. For now enjoy a nice hot shower and some clean soft robes." I kissed him on the forehead and felt the burn as the thing within his scare recoiled. Harry's hand shot up to the scar. And his eyes filled with tears. "Merlin," I yelled as I helped Harry to the bed. Before we reached the bed Merlin had Harry under the arm.

"There you go, all will be well."

Harrys head snapped to look at who was talking, his eyes became wide and then he looked closer. "You sound like Sirius and look a great deal like him just older, but I know you can't be because I saw him die."

"Harry this is the first Merlin or at least his spirit. He built this Manor stone by stone and infused it with is magic and spirit so that when he chooses he can take on caporal form." Harry looked him up and down then tipped his head as if trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

"The image on my chocolate frog card is that of an old man with a long grey beard.

"That Harry was at the end of my life when I was 150. The Merlin you see here is the way I looked at 45 when I built this home." Harry seemed to accept this explanation and nodded. "So now off to the showers with you, we can talk at lunch."

The Feast that filled the table was grand indeed. A large goose, mince pie, all kinds of fruit and steamed vegetables along with pumpkin juice, cider and wine, and on the side board sat pies and cakes a lone with hot tea and cocoa. The looks on our three guests' faces said it all. Merlin of course wasn't much better than our young guests and I had more fun watching them all enjoy the meal then I would have if it had been just I and Merlin.

Hermione was the first to break the silence with a question.

"I had told both Ron and Harry that many books contradicted each other on Merlin's age and origin and some even stated that Merlin was a title not a name."

"Well Hermione the truth is that Merlin is both a name and a title. Myrddin Emrys, the man you see here," He waved his hand. "Was the first Merlin born in 485. He built this manor in 530 for his wife and family infusing the stone with his magic and spirit to the point where he became part of the manor and the manor was part of him, and before you ask no, his is not the manifestation of a horcrux. To make a horcrux one must sunder their soul through an act of murder. This Manor was built out of love and the spirit that resides within it was infused into it not ripped from its host. That is why within these walls he can take on corporeal form creating a fully functioning body for himself as long as he remains here. When Merlin died in 635 his 3rd child, his son Ambrosias took upon himself the title of Merlin and so it was for almost a thousand years. The title went from Father to son down through the Emrys family line. Then in the 1400's Twin brothers Artilius and Uther fought over who would become the next Merlin. The fight become so heated that Artilius choose to leave Britain. First he moved to France then later the family moved to the colonies and founded the Salem school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the 1600 the family line that had stayed in Britain died out leaving the Merlin's seat in the council chamber empty. I am the last heir to the title of Merlin and have returned to Britain at the Queen's request."

"Okay now that you have cleared up that one, could you explain to me why Sirius and Merlin look so similar and sound so very alike?"

"That Harry is an easy one. The Black family line has in it some Emrys blood. Not enough to inherit the title of Merlin or to activate the Merlin's seat, but enough to allow Merlin's soul to be reborn in Sirius and to inherit those heart melting looks." Hermione giggled and Ron actually stopped eating. Harry's reaction was the best though.

"So you really were in loved with Sirius, weren't you?"

"Yes Harry I was and if not for Sirius's love and loyalty being divided we may well have married long before my forced return to Salem." Harry gave me a questioning look so I went on. "You see Harry like you, your mother had an innate magical ability that made anyone who was around her for more than just a few days fall in love with her. This love would manifest in some as extreme loyalty and in others like me as an unshakable friendship. But in the case of your father it was a soul deep love and in Remus and Sirius and even Peter it was a deep love so deep that even though each had a love all his own we all took a back seat to your mom. Even after your parents married it was hard for the others to move their love for her into a deep caring friendship. So hard for Peter that he believed that if he could get rid of your father and the others than your mother would be his."

Harry nearly choked on his pumpkin juice. "You mean to tell me that it was his obsession with my Mom that made him turn them into You Know Who."

"That is what the Katie Peter's girlfriend believed, and wrote me in a letter after your parent's deaths and Sirius's imprisonment. You see Harry we had all been friends back in the summer and fall of 76. It was your mother and father, Remus and Amelia, Sirius and I, and Peter and Katie. Katie and Amelia had been friends of your mother's at school. Katie was a year below her, but you Mom felt that she would be perfect for Peter and Amelia would be perfect for Remus. I met your mother through Amelia that summer, I had moved to London after graduating from Salem. Within a week of meeting her, your mother moved into the row house I was already sharing with Amelia. At the time she was working at St. Mungo's and it was closer to work and the London night life so it seemed only logical. Not long after that she decided that Sirius and I would be a perfect match. And who knows if I hadn't had to move back to Salem we may well have married as I said before." I didn't want to say that we would have definitely married since after Sirius did get out of Azkaban I had not had any word from him and was not sure he still felt for me what we had both felt so long ago. Yes there had been letters before his imprisonment that confessed his love to me and talked of how when things were better he was planning on coming to Salem to ask my father for permission to marry me, but that was an age ago.

"Sirius told me once that there had been a girl, an American that he was in love with. And that he was planning a trip to America after thing calmed down, but then there was the attack on my parents and he being the only one who know that Dad had made Peter the secret keeper went after him. That was what wound him up in Azkaban."

"His love for your parents over road his command sense and instead of going to the DMLE with what he knew he went after Peter on his own. The Ministry was so keen at the time to try and make the Wizarding world feel safer that when Fudge said that he had witnessed Sirius kill Peter and all those Mundanes they just took him at his word, after all why would a junior Aurar in training turn in one of the senior aurar.

"Sirius never said that he was an auror."

"He, You Dad, Frank and Amelia had all gone into training together. Your Mom, I and Alice worked at St. Mungo's as healers in training, and Peter and Remus were working at a shop down in Diagon Alley as warders."

"Hermione gave me a look of what is that. "I thought that all warding was done by the DMLE."

"It may be now but back then wizard and even some Mundanes that know of wizard and what was happening could go to the Shield and hire a ward master to set up wards around their Home or business. Your Mom was the one who had sent them to the Shield for two reasons. One was to find work and two for Peter to meet Katie. Her Father was the ex-Auror who owner the Shield. Remus was extremely good at setting ward, and worked with Peter as his assistant. So when the homes they had been warding started to fall to the Death Eaters Peter convinced the order that it had to be Remus, after all he was a werewolf and a dark creature you just couldn't trust. No-one believed him straight off but everyone knew there was a traitor in the Order and it caused a rift between Remus and the others."

"Poor Professor Lupin that must have really hurt him." The plates had been cleared away and replaced with clean ones as the desserts floated over from the side board. Ron reached up to take a small pie off the platter before it landed. "Ronald Weasley, you could have at least waited till everything was set."

"But Hermione you know how much I love pies and cakes and all. And it's been months since we have had any."

She just shook her head and Harry and Merlin both laughed. I was happy for this little break in the conversation and sat back to sip my tea.

"The Amelia you keep mentioning, that wouldn't be Amelia Bones, Ma'am."

"Yes Hermione, it would, she was my best friend, and please just call me Cassy. Here at Home I'm not THE MERLIN, nor am I Ma'am, I'm just Cassy.

"It must have been a real shocker when you found out she had been killed by Death Eater."

I had to remember that no-one in magical Britain knew that Amy was still alive. "Yes, Ron, it was and it was also part of what convinced me that I was needed back here. So when I received the owl from the Queen asking me to take back up my post as Merlin I said yes."

"So you have to be pretty good at wards and defenses and all like Remus, so why is it you decided to work at St. Mungo's instead of joining the Auror's." Hermione shot Ron a glare. "I was just wondering."

"It's alright Hermione. I am a healer at heart and because I was worried that someone would find out who I really was I felt it best to stay out of the Ministry."

"So why is it that you're being in London didn't activate the Merlin's seat in the council chamber?" Harry interjected.

"At that time my father and brothers were all alive so I was not in line to take up the title. Plus my aunt was and is still head mistress at the academy so I was free at the time to move to London. If it hadn't been for my Mother and one brother dying I would not have moved back to Salem."

Merlin could tell that I was getting a bit uncomfortable with the questions and gave my hand a gentle squeeze under the table. "Well now it's late and unless you have something that you have to run off to do right away you will be staying here for a while, so the rest of the question can wait."

Smiles and nods assured me that the rest of the afternoon and evening would be light and enjoyable. Harry and Ron spotted the chess board and asked if they could play. Merlin said fine but that he requested to play the winner, so I knew they would be busy for the rest of the day, giving me a chance to head back to the library to do some studying on old wards and protections that the Death Eaters and Tommy Boy would be unaware of.

"Miss Cassy, may I ask," she looked as if she was not sure how to ask if she could go where ever I was.

"I'm heading to the Library Hermione."

Her eyes light up, "May I accompany you?"

I held out my Hand, "Come along." I looked over my shoulder at the game already in progress, "Well we are off to rummage through the stacks if anyone needs us." Merlin looked up and waved then went back to watching the game. I don't think Ron and Harry even heard what I said.

The look on Hermione's face reminded me of the look on Belle's face in that movie Beauty and the Beast, when Beast showed her the library. It was as if she had just been dropped in the middle of a candy store and didn't know where to start first. The doors to the study were closed so I didn't need to restrict her any so I just found what I was looking for and sat down at a table and started reading. It had been nearly an hour by my best time sense when Hermione had finally worked her way around the main floor over to the portraits.

"Miss Cassy this portrait it looks like you but older."

I walked over to join her. "That my dear is Merlin's first wife and his one great love, Cassian. She was the daughter of King Hoel of Brittany. She is who the Emrys line descends from." Cassian's smile broadened.

"It really is remarkable how much the two of you look alike."

I was feeling a bit proud at that point and decided to show Hermione just how much Cassian the elder and I really did look alike. "Grand Dame would you and Grandfather be able to have your younger selves come into frame. She nodded, "As you wish child." And both frames soon where empty as the figures walked off into the distance. Then we watched as the younger portraits took their place.

Hermione looked speechless at first. "That can't be the younger Merlin. He looks like Sirius."

"I know. It seems that between the small amount of Emrys blood in the Black family line and reincarnation."

"So Merlin and Sirius really are one and the same."

"Mostly, a small amount of their soul still resides here as I explained earlier that along with different personal life experiences make them different people in many ways, but if you watch you will see that a lot of Merlin's mannerisms and behaviors are or were the same as Sirius's. And I have Cassian's.

I think, at least all my research has lead me to believe that Lily had the ability to sense soul bonds, it kind of went along with that love thing of hers, and that was why she pushed Sirius and I together."

Hermione started crying; I thanked the portraits and dismissed them back to their original frames. "So his dying has now left you alone with no chances of having that one great love."

It was touching just how much it seemed to pain her that I would have to live out my life without Sirius, so I decided to let her in on what I was going to attempt to do. "If you promise me that you will not under any circumstance tell Harry or Ron I will let you in on something I'm planning." She nodded and crossed her heart. "I swear I will take it to my grave before I tell them, unless you tell me otherwise."

"Fine," we sat down at the table near the portraits. "You see when Sirius passed through the trilithons he wasn't dead." I went on to explain all the ins and out of the matter and how I was planning on trying to bring him back. "The thing is if Harry were to know and I fail, he would be crushed, so that is why I asked you to swear to keep it to yourself. The other thing that you must keep quiet about is me. You see Hermione Tommy Boy has spies everywhere and he really did not want the Merlin returning to be the protector of the Royal family and defender of Britain."

She looked at me as if there was something that she just couldn't put a finger on.

"Yes Hermione He had My Father and Brother killed. I think he assumed that since the title of Merlin has always been passed from father to son that with their deaths he would have ended the line." Her hands shoot up to her mouth in shock. Then she got the look again and her eyes grow wide as if something had just hit her that really scared her.

"Cassy you said that if you cannot retrieve Sirius his body and soul will both wither and the spot existing. That he will never be reborn ever again." I nodded. "What does that mean for the piece of the soul that is here? Will it just disappear as well?"

I hadn't thought about it, but it did make sense, and that sent a shiver through me. I had no choice I had to succeed. I had a small piece of the man I loved here and that was fine for now, but if I did not get him out of the gate I would lose him forever. Not just for this lifetime but for all my lives to come.

Clearly she realized that she had given me something to think about and felt she needed to distract me otherwise I would be in the Library all night. "So if you don't want anyone to know you are in Britain how are you keeping the Merlin's seat from activating?"

I snapped back to the present with her question. "Oh, sorry, Elven magic, from what tap told me House Emrys's elves have been keeping an eye on the seat ever since the trouble with Tommy Boy started and did something to conceal it when it activated. I had created a rune that would keep my magical signature hidden, but as soon as I accepted the position as Protector of all Britain it kind of exploded. That was when He showed up." Fawkes swooped in to land on the perch in the library, and the sound of running feet told me that Harry had seen him fly in.

He walked over to where the phoenix perched and started to gently stroke his feather. "So this is where you flow off to."

"Not quite, he came to me when I took the title of Merlin, and Protector of all Britain. And it was a good thing too. If he hadn't been there to heal me up when the cloaking rune blow up I would be in the hospital if not dead. From everything I have read it appears that the phoenix and the seat of head of counsel go hand in hand. Since there was no Merlin the phoenix when to whoever sat as his proxy."

"So that is how, I shoot Hermione a look to shot her up. She coughed a bit to cover for what she almost said "You kept from having to have a healer deal with the rune exploding."

"Yes and that is why I was able to ask for time to do my research, so I don't need to head back to London for about a month unless I am summoned. So since I have the time I was thinking that you might be better able to find out the information you need and get a better handle on what the remaining horcruxes are if you stayed here and made use of the library as well."

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks, and then walked off to have a whispered discussion.

"I saw a book on horcruxes up on the second level while I was looking for the book on ancient wards."

"We need to run it by Ron first." They both ran out to the sitting room and before I could make it down the corridor I heard Ron's response. "We would be daft to not accept. It's not like we have any idea where to go next and sitting here warm and comfortable with hot food and all beat running all over Britain trying to keep one step ahead of the Snatchers."

"Fine." Harry said. "Well, Cassy, it looks as though you have house guests for a long as you can stand us or until we figure out our next move."

"Then with that all decided I will bid you all a good night I am still recovering from a my trip to get here and was planning on making it an early night, but if you three are not tired feel free to look around the house and grounds just don't venture outside of the wards for now. Also if you get hungry feel free to ask the elves for whatever you desire and I will see you in the morning." I headed off to the master's suite and found Merlin already there and in the shower. "Slipped away while the kids were deciding on staying or not."

"Not much to be decided as far as I could see." He reached out around the shower wall and pulled me in robes and all. "After you showed Hermione the library and all I knew she would want to stay and do as much research as she could." He threw my wet robes out of the shower then turned me to soak down my hair and start washing it. "As for Ron he was ready to stay once he saw the food. The only one I was concerned with was Harry. The boy has it set in his head that this is his job to do whether or not he has the information or knowledge to do it." His fingers combed through my hair under the running water making sure all the soap was out. "I think the best way we can help him is to try and find a way to help him survive a second killing curse, because as far as I can tell the only way to drive that soul shard out of him is the same way it was put there, by Tommy Boy himself."

I turned back to face him. I knew he was right I needed to find a way to keep the killing curse from killing Harry yet allow it to kill off the soul shard that had attached itself to him and was feeding off Harry's magical core. I laid my head on Merlin's chest, "You do know that now you have me thinking again and wanting to head back to the library to start looking for some ideas that I can weave into a solution. Maybe armor or some runes that will help shield him. Of course if the potion I have been working on does what my hypothesis said it will, then he should be fine." I started to reach for my robe to head back to the library.

"Nope, now it's time to sleep. Tomorrow you can go back to looking upwards and protections and if you have time start looking for the pieces to this new puzzle. "He finished scrubbing me down, which was relaxing and exhilarating at the same time and lead to us not getting to sleep for another couple of hours as he took his time teaching me the art of love. A part of me wanted to spend as much time as possible with him since I could lose both he and Sirius if I didn't succeed. By the time we had finished I was completely exhausted and not thinking of anything other than how nice the bed felt.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sometimes Two Heads are Better

It was mid-morning when I rose, the others were all up and eating. I walked into an argument between Ron, Harry and Hermione, and got the impression this happens a lot.

"I'm just saying you were right there and had the sword in Hermione's bag."

"Ron, next time you have a Bloody eighteen foot long snake attacking you, let's see if you can remember to grab the sword that's in someone else's bag. And by the way we didn't have the sword yet. We didn't have it till yesterday when you showed back up after running out on us for 3 months."

I put two fingers to my lips and whistled. "Time out, I will have one rule and that is NO arguing at meals. It makes for bad digestion. Besides there is no way to know how anyone will react give a life or death situation, so the point is moot. And Ron is now here so his leaving is moot as well."

"Told you she wouldn't have it" Merlin grabbed a sausage and sat down next to me with a hot cup of tea. Harry today you, Ron and I will be going to the practice room to work on wordless, wandless spell throwing." Hermione started to object. "You Hermione will be in the library finding any and all information of Horcruxes." He kissed me on the cheek, "While Cassy finishes up her research on the ancient wards and protections that may well work better at keeping Tommy Boy and his forces at bay."

I finished of my eggs and was already onto my toast when the others started to get up to leave. "You know, Merlin, I'm going to need an expert at wards and how to break them to test out what I've found."

"My brother Bill is bloody brilliant with ward."

"That may be, Ron, but I already have someone in mind and if Harry is willing to let me use Dobby to be my messenger we could well have more guests by this afternoon."

"Sure, as long as Dobby is okay about it."

"Great." Merlin gave me a look that read as (What are you up to). I just smiled back and called for Dobby. Into his large elf ear I whispered the name of who it was I wanted him to take my letter to, requesting assistance in practicing and defeating the wards and protections I was intending to use around the homes and palaces of the Royal Family.

"I promise, Mistress Cassy, that I will return with them both." With that he was gone and I headed into the library to see what if anything I could find on how to defuse a killing curse. Hermione was busy reading up on horcruxes and had found a book on the Deathly Hallows that she wanted to show to Harry at lunch while I went over the book of ancient wards one more time to see if there was anything I had missed. It was hard to believe that something as beautiful and elegant as these wards had been forgotten. I was sure that some of the ward breakers at Gringotts had run into some of them in the old tomes and ruins they would raid in search of magical artifacts, but what I was planning and how I was going to use them in combination with the protections was going to be unbreakable, or at least I hoped they would be.

I looked down at my watch and then waved to Hermione to come down from the stacks. "Almost time for lunch, feel like taking a look in on what Harry and Ron are up to?" She nodded and was down from the stacks and started out the door before I could turn around. "Left corridor end of the hall."

"Thanks," she called back as she ran down to check thing out in the practice room.

I dusted myself off and was just turning around to put the book I had been reading down on the table when I heard a rather loud pop. "I'm starting to feel like a Mother with all these Kids around."

"You may well be old enough, Cassy, but you don't look a day older than when I last saw you."

I turned to face Remus Lupin and a very pretty and pregnant young woman whom I assumed was Nymphadora. After all I hadn't seen her since she was barely 3, and only a few times with Sirius when we went to visit his cousin Andy. I held open my arms and Remus greeted me with a hug. "It has been way to long, old friend. And you, I remember you but you most likely don't remember me."

Nym smiled and took Remus's place in a hug. "Yes, actually I do. Sirius and I had been talking about you before he died. He said that if he were to ever marry and settle down it would be with you Cassy."

"I will have to hold him to that."

"Wait, What?" Remus and Nym both went a little pale.

"You see he wasn't dead when he tripped through the trilithon gate." I tossed him my note book with the plan in it to retrieve Sirius.

"You don't mean to tell me you're going to actually try this."

"Yes.

"But the ministry is being control by the Death Eaters how do you think you're going to get in." Remus's face was grim.

"With this." I pulled the badge of office out from inside my robes. "With it I bypass all the wards and enter straight into the council chamber."

Nym looked closely at the badge. "I know that symbol; it's the one on the Merlin's seat."

"Bingo.

"How,? There hasn't been anyone to take that seat in almost 400 years."

"That isn't quite true. It's more like no one has wanted to come back and take the seat till now. You see Remus, when I told everyone that my last name was Emrick, well that wasn't the truth, its Emrys and up till about 6 months ago my Father and Brother were respectively the heirs to the seat and title. They were on their way here when the plane they were on blew up, leaving me as the last direct descendent of House Emrys."

"So you're really going to give this a try."

"With your help, I hope, but I also need your help with these first." I took back my notebook and handed him the book of ancient wards. "I have some ideas on how to make them, I hope, fail proof. You see part of the deal with taking the title is that I'm now bound to the Royal Family and to the protection of Britain. I also, once that council starts meeting again, get to be the Queen's Mouth piece in the council. No more Minister deciding what to tell the Mundanes. So you up to it?"

His grim expression hadn't changed, "As long as my condition doesn't get in the way."

"That reminds me," I reached into the pocket of my robes and pulled out a small vial. "For you."

Nym took the book of wards while He pulled out the stopper and took a sniff. "It reminds me of the wolfsbane potion, but different somehow," he sniffed it again, "Stronger."

"Yeah well all the tests I've run on it have had great results. Those who have used it have not gone through the change in over 6 months some have gone for over a year. The most any of my subjects complained of was being short tempered and wanting raw meat. So up to being my first test case here in Britain?"

He had already tipped the vial up before I finished my pitch.

When he lowered the vial his the look on his face had changed. The lines around his mouth had softened and he was smiling. "I guess we will see how well it works tonight, after all it is the first day of the moon." Nym held up crossed fingers behind him.

I looked down at my watch again. "Well, time for lunch and let's not talk about the Sirius thing in front of the others. I don't want to deal with possible ramifications." Remus gave me a questioning look. "You will understand shortly."

As we rounded the corner heading for the dining room with me in the lead there were Ron, Hermione, Merlin, and Harry. The exchange of names and greeting, and hugs continued all the way to the dining room. Remus after getting past the surprise of seeing Harry then noticed Merlin. I looked at Hermione, "You want to explain about Merlin, I'm tired of having to go back over everything." To say that she was more than happy to impart all she had learned would be an understatement, which gave me a chance to sit and enjoy my lunch without stopping between bits to answer questions. Nym finished her food then excused herself asking for the nearest bathroom. "So has she had problems the whole pregnancy?"

"From what Andy told me, yes."

My response was a not a happy one, "What do you mean from what Andy told you, haven't you been around to see for yourself."

"I was concerned that the child would be like me and…,"

"And he walked out on her," Harry added with a bit of anger tinging his words.

"But after Harry here talked some sense into this old wolf, I went back."

"And he begged me for my forgiveness for being a gait." Nym was looking less green as She came over and kissed him.

"I'm not going to harp on what Sirius would have felt about your actions, but what I will do is tell you that all my research has shown that your condition can not be passed from parent to child. It's not genetic it's a form of viral infection which means we may well be able to eventually cure it. Simply put Remus, it's in your blood not the reproductive cells."

Remus's hand reached up and squeezed Nym's, the relief was clear on both of their faces. "Thank you, Cassy. You have given us a gift beyond words."

"So, are we all ready to get back to work?" Merlin grabbed a plum and started to head back to the practice room.

"Sorry boys, but I need to kick you out of the practice room for now. Remus, Nym, and I need to test out the ward and shield combo's to see if they are as good as I think they are."

"May I accompany you," Hermione asked, "These are the wards and shields you have been read about, they really look interesting and I would love to learn something new since I've been working on learning how to combine the ones we have been using to make it easier and quicker to cast."

"She really is the most brilliant witch of her age, Remus said before I could reply.

Fine, I've always said that you never can assume you know everything and you never know where you may learn something new. You may have in your experimenting found something that might help. As for you three I looked at Ron, Harry, and Merlin, if my memory serves me right Merlin is a master at making wands, and Harry is in need of a new wand. So since the grounds have several different types of trees that are good for wands and we have a phoenix right here who is more than willing to give Harry a new feather…"

Merlin looked at Harry and Ron, "It's up to the two of you. I can tell you one thing for certain, that even though Ollivander's is a great place to get a finely made wand, nothing is better the making your own."

"That sounds bloody great," Ron said,

Harry smiled and nodded. "I thought you couldn't leave the Manor."

"The grounds are part of the Manor, Harry, so not a problem. Also the house elves informed me that a hippogriff showed up last night and says it is a friend of yours. So we put him in the stable along with the Unicorns and a stray Thestral that was found injured from a wicked wand blast."

Before Merlin had finished what he was telling them, Harry and Ron were grabbing their coats and heading out. Hermione now looked torn on what she wanted to do.

"Go ahead, Hermione. If we are still working when you get back, you can join us."

She smiled, waved, and was out the door pulling her coat on as she did. Merlin gave me a kiss on the cheek and followed her out.

In the practice room, I showed Remus the incantations and patterns for each ward and shield then we went to work setting them up. We first set the shields then the repelling wards, then two different lock wards and then wove into the layers a rune circle that I hoped would be the key ward. Once we were finished, it was then time to start hitting the wards with every ward breaker charm we knew. I stood back and monitored the wards while Nym and Remus gave them the beating, after an hour I called a stop to let them rest and to check for any cracks or weakening, there were none.

So the combo worked now I needed to find a way to be able to cast a compatible charm on those who had been cleared by Amelia and the Royals that would allow them to pass through the shielding as they wished and would still protect them from attack. That was the hard part and was going to take me the time I had asked for.

"Well now that the easy part is done time to get to work on the hard part, We now need to come up with a way to allow only those we want to pass through and in addition create individual shields for each and every member of the Royal family and their staff so that things look normal."

"Are you completely daft? That has never been done."

"Just because it hasn't, doesn't mean it can't be. In fact I think I may already have the first part." I showed them the rune I had created to cloak my magic signature. " If we take this and customize it to the wearer and add to it a repelling charm and the weaving ward it logically should hide the wearer from anyone looking for them by scanning for the magical signature, and allow them to be recognized by the wards as someone to be let pass through. The hard part is making it work for non-magicals."

It was now nearly time for dinner and a break from the day's work. I could tell that Nym was dreading trying to eat, so I handed her a box of stomach soothing mints, the same kind I gave all my patients who were suffering with hyperemesis, and told her to take two before every meal and that they would ease her stomach.

When we reached the end of the corridor we all stopped in wonderment. The main sitting room was decorated for the holiday. It hadn't even occurred to me that I had nearly missed the holiday. I had gotten the letter from Amelia on the day before Yule. My trip had begun on Yule and I had arrived here at the Manor on the afternoon of the 23rd., so today was the 25th. of December and I had nearly missed the holiday completely. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open till Dipper popped in and beaming up at me and asked if I was pleased with the surprise, That Master had asked them to decorate since I along with Harry, Hermione, and Ron had not gotten a chance to celebrate the holiday.

There was holly and ivy, mistletoe and an evergreen so large that it was hard to believe it fit the room. There were gifts of all shapes and sizes around the room and hanging from the boughs of the tree. On the table was a rib roast and a pheasant, fig pudding and pecan pie, all kinds of vegetables and fruit, more food than we could have eaten to two evenings. I looked down and then realized I was crying.

Poor little Dipper looked distressed as if he had done something wrong.

"It's wonderful Dipper," I patted him on the head and he popped out giggling as he did. Off to my left I could feel a cold breeze as Merlin and the Kids entered the house, "Oh my", was all Hermione could say. "Wicked", escaped from Ron, and Harry just stood there smiling.

Merlin came up and stood next to me. "Happy?" I nodded and kissed him on the cheek.

Everyone started roaming around the room. "Hey Hermione, this one is for you from my Mom." Ron handed her the gift. "Ron here is yours, I'll bet it a sweater," Harry throw it at him. Presents were being stacked in front of each person for the unwrapping. "How?" was all I could squeak out.

"I sent the house elves to retrieve the presents from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with some small gift to give to them, Ginny and the Twins that I had the elves pick up while they were out. Yesterday while playing chess with Ron and Harry they made comments about not being able to celebrate the holiday and how much they missed their friends and family. Then you had Remus and Nym come here and I saw in their eyes just how much it made them happy and sad at the same time. So I made the decision that we needed to have this, we all needed this celebration; I hope you don't mind I had the money taken out of our, your vaults." I must have looked concerned, "Not to worry the Goblins are more close mouthed then you could imagine."

In front of me sat three gifts, one from my Aunt Viv, one from Merlin, and the last that looked as if it had been wrapped for a while was from Sirius. There was a note on the gift that was dated 1994,

I know you are most likely getting this well after the holiday, because I'm having a hard time sending it and not bringing it to you myself. I know it has been a long time Cassy and that I really have no right to have expected you to wait for me, but I pray that you have. I have spent the last two years since getting out of Azkaban thinking about all I have missed and one of the things I have missed the most is a life with you. I really do love you Cassy and hope that you feel the same and are willing to give me another chance.

I dropped into a chair tears running down my cheeks unable to open the small box. Kreacher popped in next to me. "Master Sirius had ordered me that I was to give this to you Miss Cassy, if you ever returned to Britain and he was not able to bring it to you himself."

Everyone had stopped what they were doing and watched as I unwrapped the box. Inside was a ring with the black family crest carved into the small red stone, and inside the ring was engraved. To the woman who has always been my Wife, Love your Husband Sirius. I lifted my hand and the ring levitated out of the box and slipped onto my figure.

I looked to Remus and then to Merlin. "I know that the veil is thinner on Samhain and again at Imbolc, but it remains thinner than normal between the two, I have gone over the ceremony more times than I can count, Fawkes is here and so are those he loved and considered his family. And the ministry is closed till New Years. We do it tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A Still Heart Beats with Love

Merlin convinced me that waiting till the next day when we could prepare properly would be best, besides the Feast was set and there was a celebration to be enjoyed even if it was more for the kids then for me. I worked through the night to prepare cloaking runes for Harry, Ron, Remus and Hermione. After the kids last visit to the Ministry they would have put up alarm wards in case Harry choose to return. It also gave the Trio time to finish the wands they had started that afternoon.

The runes and the wands were ready around 8 in the morning so everyone agreed to lie down to get some sleep before we headed out. Remus who had slept while the rest of us worked took it upon himself to make a diamond chain for around Fawkes neck so that I could put the ring on it to work as a link, guiding Fawkes first to Sirius then back to me. I had no choice but to tell Harry my plan to get him to agree to help. It had become clear that the power of love that he had inherited from his mother was going to play a key part in the casting of the retrieval spell.

Nym had not been happy when I had told her that she was to stay safely at the Manor, but I was not going to hear any of her arguments and Remus was happy that I had been the person to tell her, NO, that she wasn't coming with. Merlin woke me around 2pm which give me time to apply the runes to the other.

"This will hide your magic signature so that any alarm wards will not recognize you, add to that the new wands and even if they tried to set the wards to pick up on the trace that was set on your wands when you first attended Hogwarts and we should be able to pass through the ministry without alarm."

"What do you mean trace on our wands." Harry asked

"As you may remember the underage use of magic statute restricts the uses of magic till you turn seventeen. The way they do this is by placing a trace charm on you and your wands when you first start school. To be able to put the charm on your wands they had to have them assessed, this information is then registered with the ministry. So they can look it up and use it in setting up alarm wards if you ever go rogue."

"So the spell is clear and what we are all to do while we wait for Fawkes to return with Sirius, but what you haven't explained is how we get into the Department of Mysteries." Hermione was clasping her cloak.

Merlin answered before I could say anything. "There are advantages to being the Merlin. You see, the badge of office Cassian wares can transport her and anyone she wishes to any place I created or to wherever the Monarch presently is. It was one of those little tricks I set up to help me get to where I was needed to be and it has remained part of the perks of being the Merlin."

I had actually only known about the ability to pop into the Council Chamber of the Wizengamot, so this was pleasant news to me. I pulled the badge out and put my hands out for the others to take. Fawkes landed on my shoulders and I took a deep breath, it was now about an hour after sunset. An owl had arrived about two hours back with a schedule of the guards that walked the halls of the Department of Mysteries. Amelia had come through for me and now it was time to take advantage of it. We had a two hour window before the next watch would walk the halls in the DoM. I closed my eyes and pictured the room as it had been shown to me through Remus and Harry's memories and the drawings from Merlin's journals. When I opened them a second later we all stood at the edge of the rock outcropping where the Trilithons stood. Ron and Hermione were the first to break off taking up positions on either side of the single door that led into the chamber. Harry stood to the left of the arch with Fawkes while Remus and I sketched out the runes that would create a ring of healing and protection. We worked quickly since we had such a limited time. When we had finished, I had Harry join me in front of the arch.

"Okay Harry like I told you, you have the innate power of love that naturally draws people to you. I have a personal soul bond to Sirius, but you have the bond of child to parent. Sirius is your godfather so the link to him is nearly as strong as it would be if he was your natural father. So what I want you to do is to see that link, visualize it and join it to my link. When you have it, tap my arm and I will send Fawkes off to follow the link using the ring as a guide to help him not lose it." He nodded then closed his eyes. It seemed to take what felt like an hour though I know it had been a few scant minutes when I felt the tap on my arm. Fawkes didn't even wait for my signal before he was gone; passing through the Veil as if it was not even there. So now all we could do was wait.

Harry and Remus paced around the inside edge of the protection ring. Ron and Hermione stood watching the closed door, Ron had pulled out a little invention of his brothers' called an Extendable Ear to listen at the door in case the watch changed their route and headed our way. I stood in front of the arch. I could feel the souls on the other side and hear the voices of those who had passed beyond. So many sad voices, so many who wished to return but had no body, no shell to return to. I know through all my work that there was a limited time that the body could be kept before it was beyond repair and would not be a fit home for the soul to return to. If I was right, the strands of the veil that I would retrieve from Fawkes and Sirius would help me in creating a potion that would help to recall the souls of those who had recently died to their body as long as the body was fit to house it.

My watch told me it had been an hour since we had started and my nerves were starting to get to me. I turned my back on the arch and walked to the edge of the protection circle. Stretching my back and moving my neck, I could feel the prickle of something I had not felt in over two decades and I instinctively turned to see Fawkes swoop out of the arch with Sirius by the shoulders in his talons. Remus and Harry reached him first, clearing the treads of the Veil off of him and into the boxes I had given them for just this purpose. I knelt over him, he wasn't breathing and his heart wasn't beating, and my heart felt as if it were breaking all over again, then the healer in me kicked in and I activated the healing charms. I opened his mouth and exhaled into him three swift breaths then started doing chest compressions. One, Two, Three, now another breath and then repeat. I whispered into his ear on the second pass, "I didn't come all this way and go through all this work for you to not come back to me. I love You dammit, Sirius come back to me." I bent over for the third time to breathe for him and had a hand came up and held me there in a kiss.

A thin voice replied as he let me up, "That's all I needed to hear."

Then Ron's voice cut the moment. "We have 5 till they come through the door."

Harry and Remus each looped an arm under Sirius's and Ron and Hermione joined us in front of the arch, Fawkes took his spot back on my shoulder as I closed my eyes and pictured the sitting room. As we spun out of the chamber I heard a blast and felt a burning in my back. The sitting room came clear and I knew we were home then everything went black.

The next thing I knew I was laying on the dining room table on my stomach. The pain was just over my left kidney and I knew before anyone said anything that it hadn't been a spell that had hit me. Merlin was guiding Remus and Nym as they removed the object that had torn into my side and then began pouring healing potion over the hole. I cleared my throat to let them know I was conscious.

"Nice of you to join us." Remus said with a clear sense of relief.

"What the hell hit me?"

From across the room Ron's voice answered. "They shot you with a muggle gun."

"Grand, so help me up." I started to try and lift off my stomach.

"Let me at least get a bandage over your wound first," Nym said as Remus held me down.

I looked at Merlin, "He is fine, eating in the kitchen since he was ordered out till we could get you patched up. Harry is with him, they have some talking to do and figured it was better to do that than to stand in the sitting room and be of no real help. When you are ready to see him and be alone we will finish the ritual."

Remus helped me down from the table into a chair. My back still hurt but I could tell it was healing just fine and would be unnoticeable by morning. "So what are you two talking about, finishing the ritual?"

"As you were told so completely by Hermione yesterday, Merlin infused part of his soul into the manor when he built it and the rest of that soul is in Sirius. So Merlin promised me that if we could retrieve Sirius and thus keep the soul from fading into nonexistence he would join with Sirius so that their soul can once again be one."

Sirius and Harry walked out of the kitchen, "Dinner will be ready in half." They both had large grins and a sparkle to their expressions. Clearly they were both overjoyed to be back together. Sirius looked at me and his eyes softened. "You gave me a real scare there Cassy, after walking through hell to come back to you, you go and get shot on me."

"After I went through all I did to get you back, of course I'll take a bullet for you."

From across the room I heard the face palms from the trio. Sirius then went down on one knee in front of me. "So now that I have you here and in front of witnesses Cassy," He held up the ring that he had retrieved from Fawkes, "Will you be my wife?"

"As far as I'm concerned I already am, but yes I will marry you, Sirius Orion Black." I kissed him on the cheek first then on the lips, feeling my heart began to pound rapidly in my chest, and I could tell by the way he tried not to end the kiss that he wanted me as badly as I wanted him. That though would have to wait till I was better healed up. "Now we have half an hour before dinner and I need to get cleaned up and a new robe minus the hole, if you would." I held out my hand to Sirius.

"We will be back for dinner unless something comes up. " Sirius said with a bit of the mischievous tone in his voice.

Remus gave him a mocking salute and Harry and Ron both laughed. Merlin had already headed off to the bedroom and was waiting when we walked in. Sirius looked at me when we entered and he saw Merlin sitting by the fire. I sat down on the bed and let Merlin explain about them being two parts of one soul and that he was nothing more than a physical construct of that part of the soul that had been waiting here for Sirius to come and let the two parts once again be whole. He explained that Sirius would still be himself; just that he would gain some of what he had been when he was Merlin which included an even stronger link to me since we had always been soul bond lovers.

Sirius opened his shirt and then reached his hand to Merlin laying it over where his heart would have been and Merlin did the same to Sirius. I watched as Merlin once again became a glowing translucent figure that pulsed with each heartbeat. Each beat Merlin faded out a little more till only Sirius stood by the fire, looking stronger and more alive than he had earlier. This was the Sirius I remembered strong, healthy, and full of life. Not the shell that Remus had told me about after Sirius had escaped from Azkaban or even the man I had just seen an hour earlier lying on the stone floor of the room of the arch.

"Well now that's an odd sensation." He turned to look at me; there was a look that was hard to put a name to, a deep, age's deep wisdom, yet a mischievous spark that still spoke of youth. In less than two strides he had me up in his arms and was carrying me into the bath. "You do know that I have all of the memories of the last few days." I blushed and hide my face against his chest. "The interesting part is I remember them as if they were my own. And I guess they really are since you cannot really separate a soul." He stopped and stood me in front of him. "Remind me to mention that to Harry." With that he kissed me, a kiss that shot sparks through me and took my breath away. Somehow my robe found its way to the floor along with Sirius's clothing and the warm water began to do its thing and washed away the blood and tears, the distance and years, and even though all we did was clean up and hold each other that first time we were alone, it was all either of us needed. He helped me to dry off and he replaced the now wet bandaging over my wound. "You know when this is all properly healed, nothing is going to stop me from consummating our marriage."

"I know," was all I could say, because, honestly if it hadn't been for the wound not much would have stopped me either. He helped me slip on a clean robe then put on one himself, a beautiful forest green velvet that hung nicely along his body. We then composed ourselves and headed out to dinner.

The others hadn't sat down to eat yet and started to make comments about Sirius and I joining them so soon when Hermione shot them a look that said clearly she felt they were being lewd. "Really Mione can't we have just a little fun."

"Harry, be nice can't you see Cassy is still in pain."

"Sorry Cassy, we didn't mean anything by the razzing. " Ron took the cue and pulled out my chair well before I reached it. And Sirius helped me into the chair. The meal was already on the table and even though it smelled great I found I was not very hungry. It was more fun to just sit and listen. I was having a great time just watching the others interact. It was clear just how very strong the bond between Sirius and Harry was, and Remus just kept smiling watching them. Nym was busy talking with Hermione about what she had found out about horcruxes, which reminded me of what Sirius had asked me to remind him to tell Harry. I nudged him and pointed at Hermione.

"Right, right, okay, Harry, Hermione, Ron this might be of importance in the work of finding the Horcruxes. When Merlin and I were melding back together I noticed that even before we did I could feel what he was feeling and I could remember things that I knew were his memories. But what really may make this important is that I realized that even though we were separate we really weren't. Harry that's why you have such a hard time keeping You-Know-Who out. Whether you realized it or not you are… he stopped clearly trying to phrase his next statement in a way that might soften the blow.

"I know Sirius, I think I always have. Ron and Hermione both looked shocked and scared. "We can't keep pretending Hermione. It's why the prophecy said that neither could live while the other survived.

But don't you see you can use it to your advantage. Like a homing beacon to find the other horcruxes."

"Yes, but how then does Harry remove the soul shard from himself." Ron asked the full ramifications of the situation coming clear.

"I don't Ron. Don't you see the only way to get rid of a horcrux is to destroy it and the only way to beat You Know Who is to destroy all the horcruxes?"

"There has to be another way, Harry there just has to." Hermione was clearly getting desperate. Remus was looking down at his plate not wanting to let Harry see in his face what everyone else was feeling. Nym had started to cry and was just getting ready to get up and excuse herself when I felt Sirius squeeze me hand.

"Tell him Cassy".

"It's not ready and it's may not work." Everyone was now staring. "Fine, look I don't want to get your hopes up, but part of the reason I needed you and Remus to gather all the threads of the Veil up is because I'm working on a potion that can recall a soul to a body that is in good enough condition to support the soul. That means it can't be damaged to the point that death is inevitable or have been without a soul long enough for decay to have set in."

"So if someone was killed with a Killing Curse the potion would work?" Harry had a look of someone who was drowning and had just had a life preserver thrown them.

"That's right Harry but, it's not ready yet, so no running off and getting yourself killed. I need time to see if I can brew it first, then I need to test it, then I need to make enough to help more people than just you. But I promise that once I have it, you get it first. If my calculations are right, if you drink the potion within two hours, before or after death it should be able to recall the soul to the body. In your case Harry I would want you to drink it before you let Tommy Boy kill you, that way he will kill the horcrux and you will be able to return to your body without the attached soul shard. But before that happens you need to find and destroy the other horcruxes, otherwise all you will do is delay his take over, not stop him." I sipped my tea and tried to relax, but the pain in my back was nagging at me. "Magpie," I called and with a little pop she was at my side. "Please go to the work room and get the cobalt blue bottle with the ruby stopper." Quicker than a flash she was gone and then back with the small potion bottle.

I took the ruby stopper out of the bottle and dropped three drops of the amber honey thick draft under my tongue. A rush of heat and a tingle of magic ran through me settling in the wound on my back. I gripped the table as the rapid healing draft took hold and muscle fiber knit together. The pain released and I relaxed my grip on the table. Hermione had picked up the vial and was sniffing at it. Then she saw me look up at her and put it down.

"I wasn't trying to be nosey, I was just wondering what it was."

"If you weren't being nosey Mione then you wouldn't have picked it up in the first place."

"It's alright Ron, Hermione, its okay. It's a healing draft of my own creation that also has a mild pain killer in it. Like I said I've always been a healer first. That's why I have asked Remus and Nym to help with the warding work. And I'll be honest, if Sirius had been available to help it wouldn't have taken me three months to perfect the cloaking rune, he has always been the rune master."

"Even so Cassy you are the Merlin and you're the one who seems to have the best handle on what we need to do next to defeat V…You Know Who and keep Harry alive." Nym wrapped her arms around Remus's neck.

I looked up at Sirius who was standing next to me and let out the breath I had been holding waiting for this shoe to drop. I didn't want to be the one in charge, but the badge around my neck said otherwise now. "Alright but only if you all agree to follow my lead."

"It's not like we have been doing that great out there on our own. We make plans we get there and all hell breaks loose." Harry sat down across the table from me. "So Cassy if you have an idea how I can find the horcruxes without letting You Know Who know what I'm doing I'm open to it."

"Okay than. Remus will be working with me on the wards and protection spells. Sirius and Nym you're both trained in Occlumency so I want the two of you to work with Harry, get him trained in focusing so that he can filter out Tommy Boy and pinpoint where the horcruxes are. Work with the pendulum as a focus object. Ron, you need to continue working on the wandless wordless spell tossing in the morning and you, Remus, and Nym will work on getting information on Tommy Boy's movements and people who have gone missing in the afternoon. That leaves Hermione; you are to work with Ron in the morning and with me in the afternoons on the healing potions. We have a few weeks before I need to head back to London to set up the protections for the Queen and Royals. That should take Remus and I around a week or so. By the time we get back, I'm hoping we will know where the next horcrux is, or at least what our next move is. So with that all decided I will bid you all a good night."

As I left the room I could hear Ron asking Remus how it was I thought they were going to find out about You Know Who's movements. "That is for you to figure out," I called back over my shoulder. "But if I were you I'd start with that radio you seem to love so much." It was going to be an amusing few weeks.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Timing is All in the Practice

Very quickly a pattern of practice and work was established. Remus and I would spend our mornings trying out new combinations of old wards and protections. We needed to find that combo that would allow passage through the wards by those who we wished to have accesses, but would repel those we didn't want getting in. This was proving to be very tricky but we were making headway and I really felt we would have it soon. My afternoons were then spent with Hermione distilling the resurrection potion, and amping up the rapid heal potion. The resurrection potion was going to take time, since we had to slowly add each thread of the Veil one at a time and wait till it had dissolved before adding the next. We found this out rather quickly when we had to toss the first batch after it turned to a gel of thick gray Veil film. Lucky thing about that was that it wasn't a complete loss. Sirius had come in while I was in the middle of a rant about my stupidity and stopped me before I dumped the caldron. It seems that adding too may threads caused them to knit together and feed on the other ingredients in the caldron to form a thick plasma of the Veil, which then allowed us to harvest more threading, solving the problem of the limited number of threads that we had been able to save.

Harry worked in the morning with Sirius and Nym on learning Occlumency, getting further in two days of working with them then he had in working nearly a year with Severus. And in the afternoon he worked with Sirius in learning to focus through the pendulum to find the remaining horcruxes. He had managed in less than a week to learn that one was in London and another was in Hogwarts. The third we were all sure was Nagini and by where the pendulum pointing told us that she and Tommy Boy were in Wiltshire and that meant that they were at Malfoy Manor. This led to the only real argument that week. Harry was insistent that he needed to go after the horcruxes right then, Hermione was less in a hurry and wanted to narrow down the location of the first of the three before they went to London. And Ron wanted to hit Malfoy Manor first due to the news he had been hearing.

Ron had been listening to the radio and had asked if the house elves could bring him new papers from both the Wizarding world and the Mundane. He had realized very quickly that the Mundanes would report on houses that had burned down with no sign of what had started the fire, on accidents that made little to no sense and on other happenings that he could see were connected to the Death Eaters. Linking what he was reading to the lists of missing witches and wizards showed him that the Death Eaters had begun attacking half blood and pure blood families once more killing or taking captive family members of those who were standing against them.

I asked the Trio to keep working and wait to take any action till after Remus and I had returned from our upcoming trip to London. Harry agreed to wait only if I would bring him back a map of London, Diagon Alley and if possible the Ministry. I told him that I would definitely bring him the first two and do what I could to acquire the third. This satisfied him enough to get him to relent and go back to working.

One interesting thing that happened in the first three days that Sirius had been back in the world of the living. The afternoon of the 29th Sirius and I were sitting having tea in the kitchen when Kreacher popped in, he took one look at Sirius and dropped to his knees holding his head a rocking.

"Can't be, can't be, Master Sirius is dead Master Harry is now Kreacher's Master."

"It is me Kreacher, but Harry is still your Master. I will not take the head of Family back from him. I now live here with Mistress Cassy, she is my wife."

Kreacher stood slowly and looked from Sirius to me then back "So the noble house of Black will not die out you will have an Heir."

"We will try very hard to produce an heir Kreacher." The old house elf actually looked happy at that news.

"Then Kreacher will continue to work for Master Harry till the Heir is born." With that he popped back out.

This along with the progress everyone was making helped to put everyone in a good mood when New Year's Eve came around. The house elves took it upon themselves to change out the decorations in the house from Yule to New Year's. We all emerged from our different work areas to find the sitting and dining rooms decked out in streamers and confetti, while champagne and sparkling cider, and small goodies of all kinds filled the tables. There were party hats and horns to help us get into the mood along with cheerful music playing on the radio. Everyone seemed to let all the worries and concerns fall aside and get into the spirit of the New Year and all it held.

I took a seat near the fire in an overstuffed chair big enough for two Sirius soon joined me bringing over a couple of small plates of food and two flutes of champagne. Remus and Nym had claimed the love seat leaving the couch for the trio. We all laughed and enjoyed the food and as the night grow closer to the midnight hour the music on the radio become more cheerful. Sirius used a wave to push the chairs back to the walls and then held out a hand to me.

"Would you do me the honor of this dance?"

I smiled and took his hand. A few minutes later Remus and Nym joined us then Ron and Hermione. I tapped Sirius on the shoulder and looked to Harry; Sirius took the hint and asked Harry if he would like to dance with me while he got something to drink. The next song Remus asked to dance with me while Harry danced with Hermione and Ron danced with Nym, and so it went with the guys taking turns on who sat out the dance till I finally said that I needed a rest. I rejoined Sirius in the big chair cuddling and enjoying the champagne, but it was clear that Harry, though enjoying the evening as best he could was feeling a bit like the odd man out. It had also become clear that things between Ron and Hermione where not going well. Not a day had gone by that they did not argue and even I was getting tired of their quips and barbs.

Sirius and Remus both could well see what I was seeing and we all knew that it could not continue this way. If the trio were going to continue to work well together they needed to have the truth come out and the false loves be put aside.

"In the States, a New Year tradition is to divest yourself of that which is hampering you or holding you back from being the person you really should be. With that in mind who is daring enough to add the truth draft to their cider or champagne. This is not veritaserum and it will not force you into saying anything that you do not truly wish to say, it just makes it easier to admit to yourself and to others what you really feel."

Remus was the first to hold his flute out to have the draft added to it. I dropped five drops in his glass and watched as he drank it down.

He looked first at Nym,"I am ashamed that I let my fear overwhelm me and keep me from accepting your love, and then allowing that fear to drive me away from you and our child. I promise you Nym, I will be a better husband from this day forth."

Sirius was next to hold out his flute. He turned to Harry. "I am sorry Harry that when we were in the fight in the Ministry that I did not trust you to be able to defend yourself and it was that lack of trust that led me to push you aside and ultimately trip over the stone that caused me to fall into the Veil. I was a fool and promise to from this point on see you for you, not for what I see of James in you and not as the child I first met in your third year but as the man you have become."

Harry had started to get up when Ron pushed him back into the couch. "Not yet Mate, this time I get to go first." I dropped ten drops into his cider using the excuse that it was a larger glass, but to be honest I really wanted him to be honest with himself and the others and say what I knew was in his heart.

Quickly Ron downed his cider and then turned to face me first. "Cassy thank you for bringing us all here I am sure that we would not be doing this well if you hadn't."

I was starting to think that maybe I was wrong and that Ron really did love Hermione, then he turned and faced the two, Harry and Hermione. "I need to apologies to both of you. I knew the end of third year that the two of you were falling for each other and I was afraid that if you did that I would be left out and I just couldn't handle that. Without you Harry I'm nothing, just a nobody who is second to all his older brothers or at least that is how I felt till now. Now I know that I do have a place and that I can make a difference which is why I can now tell you both this. I told my Mom over the summer between fifth and sixth year how I felt and she decided that the best thing for everyone was for Harry to fall in love with Ginny and for Hermione to fall in love with me. So all those cookies and things she has been sending the two of you have been laced with love potion. I should have told you before you started eating it all but I was a git and then when Lavender and I started dating and I told Mom to stop. I think she started putting potion into my food over Christmas because when I got back to school I just didn't feel it for Lavender anymore and I wanted you Mione. I am sure that is what it was because since we have been on the run the way I have been feeling has changed, I really want to be back with Lavender and I'm hoping that you will forgive me for not saying anything and letting my Mom do this to you."

Both Harry and Hermione looked mad but not shocked. Harry walked around Ron not looking at him over to me to have the draft put in his cup. "You do understand Harry that what Ron just told you took courage and he would not have said it if it had not already been on his mind to say, all this does is allows you to say what you really wanted to and what you really feel." He nodded then took a deep breath and pushed the anger away.

Again I added ten drops. Harry upended the cup then sat Ron down at one end of the couch and Hermione at the other so he could look at them both." You're right Ron you are a right git, but you are my best friend and I forgive you. You have always been more than just my sidekick and I am glad you finally see that." He then looked at Hermione. "Ron was also right about how I feel about you Hermione, and I am sorry that due to the love potion I didn't get the chance to tell you that I love you before this, but I do and I have and now I have said it and hopefully we can see where things go from here."

Hermione looked as if she wanted to jump up and hug him but instead came over and held her cup out to me, I dropped five drops in her cup, I knew she was ready to say how she felt even without the draft, but I also knew she needed the courage.

"Alright first you are both gits and I do love you both, Ron like a brother and Harry well I would have thought that day in the tent during the triwizard you would have figured it out, but clearly you hadn't. So yes, Harry Potter, I love you and I have always loved you since the day you saved me from the mountain troll. That said we still have work to do and we will see where we are at after we defeat You-Know-Who." She plopped back down between the two young men, I couldn't call them boys any more since they had taken a brave step, with a little aid, to being the men I was sure they could be.

That left Nym and I, Nym came over with a look of uncertainty. "No Nym, it will not hurt the baby."

She held out her cup and I added the five drops to hers and to my own. I let her drink first.

She went over to Remus and wrapped her arms around him." I love you, but to be honest it was the fact of you being an outcast like myself that first attracted me to you. I felt that you would not judge me or do to me what others had. Being a metamorph every guy I dated had wanted me to be this person or that person; no-one seemed to want me for me. Then I got to know you and I saw the sweet loving person you really were, the person you try to hide, and I fell in love with you. It doesn't matter to me that you are a werewolf. Sirius told me how He and James would change with you to keep you company and how that would help you, and I felt that was one thing I could do to show you my love and that it would easy that time of the month for you. I love you Remus Lupin and no matter what form you are in I will always love you." The look on Remus's face was as if this was the first time he honestly believed that Nym meant what she said, and it meant more than anyone could have known. He wrapped his arms around her waist, what little was left of it and pulled her down into his lap, holding her there as if he would never let her go.

That then left me. I got up from the chair and turned from Sirius to drink the draft. I wanted a minute or two before I turned to look at him and tell him what I had spent two decades avoiding, though with everything that had happened the last few days I felt he knew most of it. The tears had already started when I turned back and I could tell that he was afraid of what this meant. "Twenty years ago James and Lily forced the two of us to go out on our first date. I tried hard not to like you, not to fall in love with you but there was just something in your smile, in your voice, in the way you looked at me that made it impossible for me to resist you. But I wasn't going to just be one of your conquests and that was why I told you back then that I wanted to just keep our relationship as friends. I wanted to see if you would show me that you loved me as much as I loved you and you did that. Not in the time we were together as seventeen year old kids, but in the years following, in your letters and how very much I could feel your longing for me through them, And in the letters from James, Lily and, Remus. They told me how you would talk about me, and how you missed me, how when the war was over you were coming to Salem and getting me. That you had tried but just couldn't get into a relationship with anyone. That, My Love was why come what may I was going to come to London and get you back. I spent nearly two years working on the ritual to retrieve you and to be honest if it weren't for the fact that I have this," I held up the badge of the Merlin, "If the ritual hadn't worked I was planning on passing through the Veil to fade away with you."

I had lowered my head and my heart was pounding so loud I thought the sound was filling the room. Sirius hadn't said anything. I knew he loved me but, I had just dropped a bit of a bombshell on how all-encompassing my love for him was. I started to shake standing there all alone and was getting ready to run off to my bedroom when his arms wrapped around me. I looked up and was about to say something, not really sure what because my voice and my thoughts were cut off by his kiss. He then picked me up and carried me back to the big chair where we sat with Sirius just holding me and feeding me chocolates. "I don't need the draft to tell you just how very much I love you Cassy, you really are my everything and I will never let you doubt that love ever."

The chiming of the clock told us that there was still a few minutes left till midnight. I held my flute up and called the champagne over to me to refill mine and Sirius's flutes. Harry asked if they could have the champagne and I said fine after all they were all seventeen. Everyone stood and waited as the clock counted down. Then on the radio came the sound of people cheering, three, two, one, and then the yell Happy New Year. Ron and Harry blew the horns, Remus and Nym grabbed either end of a popper and pulled. Hermione put and arm around the necks of both boys and then kissed them, Ron on the cheek and Harry on the lips. Sirius hadn't stopped kissing me since we had sat back in the chair he just added to it a "Happy New Year Cassy." I held up my glass for a taste. "May this new year bring us all love and happiness."

"Here, here," Remus replied and then kissed Nym.

Then Sirius walked me over to stand in front of the fireplace and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small oblong box. Inside it was a set of matching wedding bands nothing really fancy just plain gold band with the inscription inside the bands, Until all there is has faded away and beyond I shall always Love Thee,

"You can't have a real marriage without having a proper ceremony. We may not have a minister to oversee things, but we do have our friends and some family here so." He pulled the ring that was to be mine out of the box. "I Sirius Orion Black take you Cassian Serena Emrys to be my wife to have and to hold from this day forward until time is no more and beyond." I held my hand out and let him remove the family crest ring first then slip the wedding band and the crest ring back onto my finger.

I then took the remaining band from the box and said, "I Cassian Serena Emrys take you Sirius Orion Black to be my Husband to have and to hold from this day forward until time is no more and beyond." I then slipped the ring onto his left index finger and he kissed me. Not a hard kiss, but a soft one filled with love and longing and the promise of years of joy to come.

We all celebrated for about another half an hour when I reached the point of wanting to celebrate in private. I gave Sirius a wink and we slipped away to our bedroom. We still hadn't consummated our marriage due to my injury, but after several days of taking the rapid heal draft I was feeling much better.

Sirius helped me out of my robe, "Are you sure you're up to this."

"Yes and what better way to celebrate a new year and our new life."

He pulled back the thick down comforter then lifted me into the bed. He then dropped his own robes. For six days I had been avoiding looking at his body not wanting to tempt myself to make love before I was healed enough. The merging with Merlin had healed all of the damage Sirius had suffered over that last sixteen year. Tall well-muscled with fine chest hair that thickened as it past his navel, to an amply endowed manhood. Nothing had been lost in the merging, on the contrary he seemed even larger and I shivered at the thought of what was soon to come.

His kisses started with my eyes and gently worked their way down causing me body to tingle with sexual tension; his hands caressed and traced their way down to my buttock. The intensity was overwhelming and as he cradled my ass lifting it to just the right angle, my breathing became rapid and my head felt light. His first thrust was slow and my nails dug into his shoulders as I tried to suppress a scream. By the smile and twinkle in his eyes it was clear he was enjoying driving me to the edge and then stopping. I begged him to continue and he quickly obliged my request with several rapid thrusts then stopped and repositioned so that his next thrust was so deep that I screamed with pain and pleasure intertwined. This was what he was waiting for and now that he had found that perfect position to hit my sweet spot every time he worked it and me till the room narrowed to a pinhole of light and my world become naught but waves of pleasure that exploded out joining with the sound of his moans and a flood of heat as he filled me and then collapsed to the bed next to me.

The room was filled with a soft glow that I realized was coming from the two of us and I could feel a new warmth in my lower abdomen, whether it was just wishful thinking or a sign that the Emrys/Black line would continue I wasn't sure, all I knew was that something very special had happened and I fell asleep cuddled up in Sirius's embrace.

When I finally became aware of the room and the world it was nearly dawn. The sound of a house elf popping into the room woke me, I in turn woke Sirius.

"Mistress an owl has arrived with a message for you." Dipper held up the letter. I grabbed my night robe from the peg at the end of the bed then took the letter and sat down near the fire, Sirius came over and turned up the gaslamp giving me enough light to read. I thanked Dipper and dismissed him before unfolding and read the parchment.

Cassy (Lady Merlin)

Our informants have told us of three upcoming Death Eater planned attacks that you may wish to try and intervene on. The first is an attack on the Hogwarts Express New Year's Day, my informant said that it's a cover for a kidnapping but he did not know who. We do know that most of the muggle born are not returning to the school so this attack is most likely on a pure blood whose family is known to stand against You Know Who. We suspect it may be either Ginny Weasley or Luna Lovegood. The second is a raid on Diagon Alley planned for the Feb 1st to close down the Quibbler and the Prophet and any other business that openly supports the resistance. The last is an attack on the Parliament and House of Lords that will occur when the Queen reopens the two houses on the March 21st. The last is the only one that the Queen is truly concerned with and had ordered me to tell you about. I pray you have the wards ready and that whatever your mission was in the Ministry was a success. I expect I will be seeing you soon.

Amelia Bones (Head of Magical Security)

Windsor Castle, London

Sirius had been reading over my shoulder. "Harry told me that Amelia had been killed not long after I had died."

I got up and was heading into the shower with Sirius right behind me "She isn't and it's a long story, but what it comes down to is I pulled her out of the attack just as the house came down. She spent six month in the States healing and then went back to join the resistance. She is the one that convinced the Queen that she needed to call me home. I was planning on coming anyway, just not having to take back the official office of Merlin till after I had rescued you." A quick wash up and into my heavy travel robes, "The activation of office is the reason I needed your help to modify the cloaking rune." He had found some heavy robes in the wardrobe and a traveling cloak. "No, you're not coming with."

"Like Hell I'm not. You are not going alone. I'm healthy and magically stronger than ever and besides who would expect a dead man? My being there may well work to your advantage."

We rounded the corner into the sitting room to find Remus along with Harry and company also in traveling cloaks ready to go. "Now why the hell do the group of you think you're going?"

"These." Harry held out a letter with seven ticked for the express. The letter was from Professor McGonagall.

The Order, what is left of it has come into information that the Express is going to be attacked on its way back from holiday break I implore you Harry, if this letter finds you to gather whatever forces you can and be on the Express to stop this tragedy from taking place. Our students look to you as their only hope in this war.

"Fine but Nym stays here, I will not have that baby endangered." Nym sat down at the table. "As for the rest of you, hoods are to be up at all times till the attack starts. You need to find Ginny and Luna since it's believed that they are the main targets of the attack. It appears that it a cover to kidnap one or both." I called Dobby into the room and asked him if he could transport the group to King's Cross. He looked at the size of the group and said that he might need some help, so I called Tap and Pint to be sure we would be good.

It was about nine when we were ready to leave. I figured that the runes on Harry and company along with those on Remus and myself would keep any alarms from sounding, add to that some disguise spells; we didn't have time for polyjuice, so spells would have to do. I had managed to create six small port keys to emergency evac each of us if need came up and had them on neck chains that were of diamond cord so they could not be broken or lost. All that anyone had to do was grab the key and they would be brought back to the manor. The elves were put on guard that if one of us showed up with someone other than Ginny or Luna they were to stun them and it would be decided what to do with them when I returned. With that all arranged we were off.

The elves dropped us right onto platform 9 ¾ in a dark corner so we could assess the situation before moving out. Just inside the gate from the main station to the platform stood two figures that Remus identified as the Carrow Twins, followers of Tommy Boy and by the way the children addressed them Professors at Hogwarts. They were checking tickets as each child passed through and watching for whomever it was that was to be grabbed. Ginny came through without anyone taking notice, but when Luna came through Lucius Malfoy walked over with Crabbe and Goyle Sr's and pulled her and Xenophilius off to one side. Without a word Sirius stunned the Carrow Twins and Remus and I took out Crabbe and Goyle. Before Lucius could move Harry summoned Luna to him and ported out and just as quickly he was back thanks to Dobby. A few memory charms later had Lucius and the Carrows believing that Luna and Xenophilius had not come through. As for Crabbe and Goyle a befuddlement charm took care of them. That then left Xeno I pulled him to the side and let him know what the problem was and that for his and Luna's safety we would be taking her to somewhere where she would be safe but that we felt it best to not tell him where. I did give him the option to come with, but he felt that as long as he was visible that everyone would think things were normal, and he asked me to replace his memory with that of him dropping Luna off and then leaving without any insistent.

With the main targets out of harm's way we made our way onto the train and quickly found an empty compartment. Hermione pointed out as we settled in that she had noted several other parents getting on the express along with their children, and Ron had made note of the locations of Neville, Lavender, the Creevey brothers, Crabbe and Goyle as well as Pansy and several other students that might be sympathetic to our side or Tommy Boy and that Draco was nowhere to be found. We then made a basic plan and sat back to wait. Most of the students had grouped according to house with just a few exceptions, those being a few Slytherin students whose parents were with them. They seem to have placed themselves in compartments in each car.

It was about half way through the trip when Harry sensed something. He looked at Remus then at me and whispered "Dementors." Remus and I stood and started to put up a nice little ward that was specifically designed to keep the soul suckers at bay. It was kind of like a Patronus charm on steroids and covered the entire train. Once it was up, everyone started to move, we knew that the Dementor attack was the start of the Death Eaters assault on the train. Remus and Ron headed into the Gryffindor car, Harry and Sirius to the Hufflepuff car, and Hermione and I to Ravenclaw.

As we passed from car to car the students had already begun to barricade themselves in their compartments Black trails of smoke signaled Death Eaters Apparating in. Those students who had been members of the DA quickly joined us in the corridor as the fight became more intense. Around me I could hear voices calling out stupefy and expelliarmus along with other spells. The problem with this fight was the lack of space to move. So wordlessly I called all those in this car who were not fighting into the last five compartments then ordered Hermione, Cho and two other Ravenclaws behind me.

"Well now, who do we have here?" I had only heard his voice once, earlier that day but I know it was Lucius Malfoy.

"Who we have is your worst Nightmare, Lucius." I flipped the merlin's crest out of my robe.

"That's impossible," he yelled. "The Merlins are all dead. I made sure of it."

He hadn't finished his rant when I let my temper flare and hit him full force with a Reducto to the chest. He grabbed at his chest as I sent his wand flying and the followed it with a second Reducto. That was all it took, a fine mist now filled the air that had once been filled with Lucius. The two remaining Death Eaters in our car apparated out, and we headed into the Gryffindor car.

Ron was at the far end with a Death Eater between him and Remus. Remus was facing off with three other Death Eaters and had Neville at his side. Hermione and I hit two of them from behind with stupefies leaving the last for Remus to take down with a quick body bind. Just then we heard Ron scream "No!" and saw Lavender dive in front of him taking the AK that Dolohov had just fired. I finished him off with a Reducto to the back as Remus hit him with a wither curse. What remained was something akin to a mummy. I whispered in Ron's Ear, "Take her to the Manor," and he ported out.

That left the Hufflepuff car. The sound of heavy fighting and explosions came from the car as I opened the door. Harry was in one compartment defending the Creevey brothers, who had gone down to visit with a friend just before the battle started. Bellatrix was facing off with Sirius, screaming out of control about having killed him once and would do it again. Sirius surrounded her with an inward facing mirror shield causing her next spell to ricochet and hit her causing a slash from her hip to mid-thigh. Rodolphus seeing his wife was badly injured grabbed her and apparated out, leaving only his brother against Harry. There were too many people to make it down to Harry when I heard Rabastan scream Avada Kedavra. As I entered the room Harry had responded with a Reducto and Rabastan was falling to the floor grasping his neck I finished him off with a second Reductio that hit him as he fell. Harry sat on the floor holding Colin's body. I pointed to the port key and he grabbed both boys and headed to the manor.

I quickly assessed that all the Death Eaters had gone and followed Harry leaving Hermione, Sirius and Remus to clean thing up. Back at the Manor, I had Ron and Harry lay the bodies of Lavender and Colin in the beds. I had the house elves put in the room adjoining my potions lab. I then went to the caldron that had been brewing for the last 3 days and ladled out the resurrection potion all signs pointed to it being ready. I had Ron open Lavender's mouth first and dropped about a teaspoons worth of the potion on to her tongue. Then went to Colin and did the same. Time seemed to stand still as we waited to see if the potion would work. After what was most likely no more than five minutes, Colin opened his eyes. I reached down and felt a slow pulse in Lavenders wrist. "Kiss her, Ron."

He knelt down next to the bed and kissed her, putting everything into it that he could. Her eyes fluttered then opened. "Oh Won-Won, you do love me."

"Always have and always will, Lav-Lav."

Dennis was sitting next to his brother quietly talking when the doors to the room flew open. There was Sirius, Remus, Luna and Hermione, along with Arthur and Molly Weasley and Ginny. "Ron no," Molly yelled, but before she could move any further into my lab, I stepped in the way.

"First off, this is MY home and you are only here under my good graces. Secondly, your son told all of us about your use of love potions to make Hermione fall in love with him and him with her, and Harry fall in love with Ginny. So since I find the use of love potions a detestable practice I suggest you sit your ass down in the sitting room and leave my patients to their recovery."

Molly started to try and push past me and Arthur grabbed her arm and marched her out of the room and down the corridor to the sitting room. I looked at Harry and Ron who had gotten to their feet and looked as if they were ready to step between Molly and I if need be. I waved for them to sit back down where they were and went to check on my patients.

After testing all the physical and mental reactions I had to declare them both fit and fully healed. The resurrection potion had worked better than I had hopped, leaving no lasting sign of the AK that they both took. Harry looked at me hopefully. I smiled and filled a small vial then tightly stoppered it with a spell that would only allow Harry to open it, and then handed it to him. "Remember Harry, you are to only us it when the time is right. I'm not sure that it will work more than once, so no getting yourself killed before you need to." With that all done I headed out to the sitting room were a rather loud discussion was going on.

Sirius met me at the end of the corridor. "Why the hell did you bring them back here?"

"Ginny spotted Hermione and insisted that she had to be brought to Harry and Molly wasn't going to let her go without her and well..."

"I get it, so just out of curiosity what was the reaction when they saw you."

"Molly still is refusing to believe that it's me. Arthur wanted to know how and Ginny just wanted to see Harry that was until you dropped the love potion bomb."

"I guess it's now time I deal with this mess."

He took my hand and walked me into the room. I hadn't gotten more than a few steps in when Molly rounded on me.

"Who the bloody hell do you think you are interfering with my family?"

I once again flipped out the badge and crest. "Who I am is Cassian Emrys-Black, Dame Merlonius. You would know me better as The Merlin." It was clear that Molly was about to say something then thought better of it. "And as I stated earlier you are here in my home at my behest, so I would suggest you calm down and listen before you say another word." She sat back down on the couch next to Arthur. "Yesterday, Ron of his own free will informed all of us, Remus, Nym, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and I, of the underhanded way you were dealing with his insecurities. That you decided that the best way to make sure that he would not be an also ran was to potion Hermione into loving him and Harry into loving Ginny and that when he asked you to stop since he was in love with Lavender you started to dose him as well with the love potion so that he would fall in love with Hermione."

"Love potions can only enhance what is already there; they can't make a person fall in love with someone they are not interested in." Molly sat smugly with her arms folded across her ample chest.

"Woman, you are either deluded or think we are. What you did is unethical and dangerous. Love potions when taken over a long enough time will become permanent that does not mean that the person that the potion was given to had any kind of feeling of love for the object of that love. They create a false love that can and in many cases will turn into real love. But it's not your call to decide who should fall in love with whom. And as soon as this war is over I am making the use of Love potions illegal and all marriage contracts that were signed under the influence of love potions will become invalid."

The look on Molly's face was one of panic. Arthur took her hand and squeezed it. "And what will happen to those who do still wish to remain married."

"They will first be tested to be sure they aren't still under the influence of the potion and if they aren't then they can reaffirm their marriage." I sat in the big overstuffed chair that was becoming my favorite and called for Magpie. "We need tea and sandwiches."

"As you wish, Mistress," she relied and was off. That was when I spotted the little blonde who had been sitting holding Ginny who was crying. I held my hand out to her and both girls came and curled up in the chair on either side of me. Luna seemed very content to cuddle, but Ginny couldn't stop crying. I shot Molly a glare. "This is the damage that using love potions does, your daughter's heart is broken and for what? So you could secure for her a good marriage to a man who could provide for her, or was it that you wanted her to have the young man she thought Harry was because of all those stories you told her as a young girl?"

Molly started to reply, but Ginny cut her off. "She is right, Mom. You didn't like the way I was acting. You told me so yourself, then that summer in Grimmauld place I started to see Harry as something other than a good friend and you just kept talking to me about how great Harry is and how we would make a lovely couple and it all sounded so perfect. Is that when you started feeding me the potion as well? "Ginny looked up at me, "Can you test to see if I am under the influence of love potion."

Before I said yes, Molly answered. "You don't need to." Her face was in her hands, "All I was doing was what the women of our line have done for hundreds of year. It's what my mother did to get my father, and her mother before her. And she is the one who showed me how to brew the potions so I could win your father. I stopped using the potions on you, Arthur, around the time Charley was born."

Arthur just sighed, "I knew that was what had happened, but we already had two sons and I chose to stay and make it work. You can be a frustrating woman from time to time Moll, but I always know you meant well and that is why I fell in love with you after that."

Luna her voice soft as a dove, "My mother always said that love is something you have to work at to keep or in this case make."

Just then Magpie reappeared with the tea and sandwiches. "I dropped a platter off with the children in the lab."

"Thank you, Magpie and could you see to it that guest rooms are readied for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? Put Ginny in with Hermione and set up a room for Luna and Lavender. Move Ron into Harry's room and put the Creevey brothers in Ron's old room." I counted rooms in my head, "That should leave us two move guest room next to Remus and Nym's to be used as a nursery and a spare. Not sure what we will do if we get any more guests, but…"

Sirius kissed me on top of the head, "We will just have to repair the guest house in case that happens. Till it does, we have room for everyone."

I gave the girls a little push; "go eat." then got up to get some food and tea myself. The first group action had gone off with very few problems. I looked over at the Weasley's this was the only real unseen result of our plan, the only real problem and I had a feeling it was going to get worse before it got better. The house was now full and we had what was going to be a trying couple of week ahead in more ways than one.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Home is What You Make It

After less than three days I had to order the house elves to not allow Molly into my kitchen since she seemed to think it was hers to take over and run and had sent Magpie off in tears after she had accused her of trying to use potions on our guests. Since the day the Trio had arrived I had been having Magpie put a healing draft into everyone's morning juice. It was one I had come up with while working with wizards and witches who had served in the military. It was created to help deal with the effects of PTSD and the effects of extended stress on the body as well as helping the body to purge itself of any substances or parasites that the person may have picked up that were detrimental to their wellbeing. So having to explain this to Molly to keep her from running off and telling everyone that I was no better than she was since I was using positions on everyone without their knowledge really rubbed me the wrong way.

I also had to put wards up on my lab to keep her out of my potion materials. She was just so very autocratic feeling she had a right to do as she felt without even a by your leave, and I am not one who takes well to having to continuously explain the way I run my house to anyone let alone with a steamroller of a woman like Molly Weasley. She just could not get it through her head that this was not her house and that as a healer and the Merlin I might not take well to someone moving around my component containers around.

And finally after less the five days it had come to this. As everyone was getting ready for lunch, Molly starts ordering Sirius to remove the papers he was working on from the table and go wash up for lunch as if he were one of her children. This was my final straw. I kissed Sirius on the cheek as I passed placing the wine for the meal on the sideboard and told him to keep working while I handled this.

"Molly can we have a talk please." The rest of the group were just sat down to lunch and were trying to go over training schedules when I asked Molly to join me for a little talk.

"Certainly dear is there something you need."

Grrr I walked over to the sitting room away from the others. "It's like this. This is my house not yours, you are a guest here and that is because two of your children are here. You have no authority to order my house elves or my Husband around."

"I don't know what you are talking about; I'm only trying to be helpful."

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. "I have ordered the elves to not allow you into my kitchen. I have nine house elves here that are more than capable of taking care of the needs of my family and guest.

"You have six Dear the other three are Harry's"

"To be accurate only one is Harry's and that's because Sirius has chosen to not reclaim his title as head of House Black. The other two are free elves that have chosen to serve Harry and to that extension me at this time. As for Sirius, he is an adult and does not need supervising, he may have found it easier to just let you have your way in Grimmauld place , but this is my home it already has a Mistress and Sirius has a wife so you're telling him what to do in our home is rude and pushy. And if you do not stop I will drop you off in Diagon Alley at your son's' shop."

"Well I never." She started to walk away but I was not finished and she found herself being turned back to face me. "Let me go you have no right."

"See now that is where you are wrong. The problem I see here Molly is that no-one has ever told you no. So that being the case I will make this very clear and very easy for you to understand. MY Lab, the Kitchen, and my private quarters are off limits to you. If you are bored and need something to occupy your time you can help out in the stable or in the garden. As far as the training of the younger members of this group goes you are not to interfere. Sirius and Nym are both trained Aurors and will see to the training as they see fit. And honestly if you do not like the house rules as I have set them down for you, I am more than happy to leave you as I already stated with your sons' at their shop in the Alley."

She wasn't sure which way to turn and decided to head to the guest room she and Arthur had been given. I went over and took my place at the table to sit and enjoy my lunch.

"Do you think you might have been a bit rough on her Cassy?" Hermione looked concerned.

"No, Hermione, she wasn't," Arthur replied. "She was and is right. No one, me in particular has ever said No to Molly, most just step aside and let her have her way rather than dealing with her temper. Her brothers were the last to tell her no, that they would do what they thought was right. That was when they joined the original Order. For years Molly has used their deaths as a way of justifying her actions, that if they had listened to her they would not have died." Arthur lowered his head and finished his meal in silence. Then he headed to the guest room to check on Molly, while the rest went back to training and studies.

I had a little over a two weeks before I had to return to London to set up the wards and make sure the protections would be more than adequate to keep the Queen and her heirs safe and it was Harry and Nym who gave me my answer to the accessibility problem. The wards around Privet Drive would allow only those who loved Harry and wished to protect him to enter the property. The only exceptions to that being Harry's Aunt and Uncle who owned the home and his cousin who lived there. So our solution was already set in place we would weave the loyalty oath that all those that are sworn to protect the Queen into the wards as well as the bond of family and love into them. This would allow only those who held the Queen's safety and who loved her and meant her no harm to pass through the wards.

As for the rest training was moving along well, with Harry showing the most progress in learning to work with the wandless wordless magic. Sirius had asked me to come sit in on a practice session to give the kids my opinion on their progress and performance. Hermione was the first up with Remus and Ron working as her targets. The practice room had been padded and protections were being worn by both. I watched as she moved her hands in a series of patterns that locked Remus in a full body bind and silenced him. Then she turned to Ron and knocked him across the room with a stunner. Sirius went over and used the counter curses freed Remus. "So what do you think?"

I smiled and flicked a finger at Sirius and Remus locking them both in full binds and silenced as well as stunning them. Then snapped my fingers and released them both as well as brought them both out of the stupor from the stunner. "What I think is that there is too much flourishing and you're still depending too heavily on eye contact, but considering you have only been at it for a little over two weeks, you're doing good."

Sirius came over and gave me a kiss. "You didn't have to do us both."

"Actually yes, I did. The kids need to understand that any effect they are forming in their mind can be formed as a group attack not only a pinpoint attack. This is what I was trying to teach you, Remus and the others back in the seventies when I was living in London." I called the entire group in to listen. "Okay this is the difference between the old world way of teaching you how to use curses and spells and what we have been teaching for the last several decades in the New World. It's something the native tribes taught us. See a wand is great in helping you to focus and in aiding you in the strength of your spells. Wands though have their own way of wishing to do things some more than others. As Sirius has taught you, your core and the wood you use along with the rigidity of the wood all influence how well a wand will work with different spells and curses. Simple spells all wands will do well as long as the wand is paired well with its user. The more complex the spell or curse the harder it is for some wands to do, and other wands may choose to not even do the spell you're asking it to. That is why come fifth year at Salem we teach our students to start working wandlessly and those who wish to continue past their seventh year learn to work wordlessly. What Sirius and Nym are teaching you is very advanced spell work and to be honest I know witches and wizards who never get it. So don't get down on yourselves if you are having trouble with it. "I walked over and patted Dennis on the head. " The one thing that might help you is to remember that forming a clear intent is key to working wandless, wordless magic. Don't think in one spell at a time. If you want to disarm and bind someone and silent them then see it as a single action not a three different spells. Spells and charms were created to give you something to represent the effect you wish to achieve. The word and the pattern mean nothing the effect is all that really matters. When you were young before you started school you could do things without a wand or a word. It all came naturally to you, what we are doing here is trying get you passed depending on those crutches you have been taught that you need and to go back to seeing your magic as part of yourself. You want to achieve something just form the thought in your mind and then let it go. "I saw smiles come to most of the kids' faces, Hermione being the acceptations. " I crooked my finger and pulled her to my side. "Relax, you can do this. I have already seen you do it when you are busy working in the lab or library. You summon things to yourself without even noticing that you are doing it." She nodded then walked back to where she had been working.

Sirius nodded and then waved the kids back to work. "Thank you Cass, I have been trying to explain it to them and show them what can be achieved if they learn to form the spell they want as a clear thought in their mind. But now I understand what I have been doing wrong. I keep telling them to hear the spell or curse then see it and focus it out at their target. You clarifying it as focusing on what you intend on doing, not on a singular spell or group of spells and curses. Maybe when you and Remus get back you can help with the training."

That was when I felt my personal shield pushed to near breaking point and had to focus on holding them together. Around me everyone else except for Harry was stopped cold in mid whatever they were doing as if they had been frozen into statues. "Harry," I slowly walked over to him. "What were you trying to do?"

He turned to look at me as if he wasn't sure what to do next. "I just wanted them to stop. I had remembered on the train wanting to stop the Death Eaters, but I wasn't sure I could do it without hurting Colin and Dennis. So I thought about what you said and realized that if I just stopped everyone then I could have Apparated out with Colin and Dennis and un-stop them when we were safe."

"Okay so now un-stop them."

Harry took a deep breath and relaxed and with that everyone began to move again as if nothing had happened. Behind me I heard a pop and turned to find Magpie standing there with a look of concern on her face. "What's the problem Maggy?"

Everyone stopped as if a bug in amber "We were concerned Mistress, we felt the magic and then everyone stopped."

Harry now looked a little worried. "What do you mean everyone?"

"The staff, all the guests, all the animals in the stable and in the trees in the forest around the ground. Magic folk and non-magic all stopped."

Harry found the floor as his legs went to jelly realizing what he had achieved. I yelled to Sirius, Nym and Remus, as I helped Harry back to his feet. "We need to track just how far that spell went out. Maggy said it covered the house and grounds, the question is did it hit the town at the bottom of the hill."

"The house elves are better at picking up on spell echo's," Sirius said as his cloak wrapped itself around his shoulders, "and since they were affected then this echo will be easy for them to follow so Remus you take Dipper and head north, Harry you go with Dobby head south, Nym you take Maggy head west, and I will take Tap and go east to the town. Start at the edge of the wards around the estate. With luck this will be quick and the spell didn't get past the wards." Sirius turned to me with a smile. "Cass would you oversee the remainder of class till we get back." I nodded and he kissed me on the cheek just as the house elves popped in. "Keep working the rest of you and remember intent is the key." With a smile he and the others were gone.

I hoped as did he that he was right and that Harry's spell hadn't gotten passed the wards, but seeing as the spell came from inside not out I wasn't as sure they would have stopped it. Strictly speaking most wards are set to keep intruders and their magic out not to keep those inside from firing out.

After about an hour Remus, Nym and Harry had already returned, all reporting that the effect had shoot through the wards as if they weren't even there, but when it didn't find any magical targets it quickly faded out. Sirius though had not returned and fearing the worst I headed out to find him.

I was expecting a small hamlet of farming cottages and a small market area. What I found was a good sized industrial town where the hamlet once stood. Brynmawr as it was now called had built up since the last of the Merlins called this area home and by the plaques on a good number of the buildings most of the building had taken place in the 18th and early 19th centuries. This was going to make finding Sirius a bit more complicated. I closed my eyes and reached my mind out to his.

A quite whisper was the response, "Snatchers in the town, hiding at the pub."

When I opened my eyes I found a group of six raggedy young men in a circle around me, clearly these were the Snatchers Sirius was trying to avoid. I started to move forward and was greeted by a wand.

"Looks like this one thinks she can do as she wishes."

From behind me I could feel the clear leader of the groups coming forward. "Clearly you are not aware of the new laws that require every witch and wizard to present papers with their blood status to the enforcement agents in the area. And since we have never seen you before that means you don't have any papers and that we will need to take you in to have your status checked."

My temper was starting to flair as the young thug came to stand in front of me. I thought one word to Sirius before I did what I knew I had to. "GO", but instead of feeling him apparated out I felt three more apparated in. I guess the Cavalry had arrived.

"Name?" the leader asked.

"Merlin," was my reply followed by an area effect stunner and bind. The group of snatchers all lay helpless on the ground as Sirius, Remus, Molly, and Arthur came out of the shadows.

"Oh nicely done," Arthur said clapping his hands as he came to look at the leader of the group. "I've seen him around the ministry, reporting to Umbridge. He is one of her Snatcher squad leaders."

Around use I could feel the pressing in of magical energies. From doorways and windows around the town center, faces began to appear, magical faces, old and young.

"Professor Lupin," a young man called out. "Did you get them all, are we now able to come out?"

Remus identified the young man as Ethan Bexley a Ravenclaw from Luna's year. "Yes Ethan I believe all the Snatchers are pacified."

About a dozen witches and wizards came out to look upon the still unconscious figures. An old witch who seemed to be the matriarch of the group came to stand in front of me. "Did my ears deceive me or did you proclaim yourself to be Merlin?"

I looked at her and the group behind her, "Why do you ask?"

"My family has lived here since well before the town was here. We have guarded the Merlin's cave from the miners and all others who would seek to disturb it. So I ask you again Young Witch did you proclaim yourself to be the Merlin."

I reached into my robes and pulled out the badge/crest, then opened my cloak to reveal it. The old witch began to drop to one knee upon seeing it, but I stopped her. "Please I am not here to be honored so."

"But you are the Merlin," came a response from a warlock a bit older than myself. "Our family and many others have waited for centuries for your return. We are the servants of the Merlin and have sworn an oath to be here to do as the Merlin wished."

"Well then, to start with I am not like my predecessors. I do not want you to humble yourselves to me. I am here to answer to the Crown and to aid in this war. To that end we need to rid our town of this filth and make it someplace safe for not just us, but for the mundanes that live here as well. So does anyone have a non-lethal idea as to the disposal of these?" I motioned to the Snatchers.

After a rather lively discussion it was desired that the Snatchers would be dropped in one of the old abandoned mines south of town and that we would then ward the town off to any and all destructive and negative persons and creatures that Tommy Boy might send our way. It would be the test of the wards and protections that I had wanted to do. I called the rest of the household down from the manor and along with the resident population of witches and wizards planned on spending the evening teaching a group of about two dozen the ward spells and protections that we would weave together to not only cover the town, but the manor and grounds as well. This would allow those in the manor to come down to the town and those in the town to come up to the manor.

When Harry and the others arrived there was a great deal of whispering and pointing and I could see that Harry was becoming very edgy. "Yes, this is Harry Potter." Sirius and Remus scanned the groups to see if anyone looked as if they would call Tommy Boy, then nodded to me that all was well. "Yes, I am working with Harry to help him destroy He who should not be named. So if you are not comfortable with this speak up now."

There was some discussion among the residents and then Ethan came forward. "We stand together with Harry, and you, Merlin." This time there was no stopping them as the group all went down on one knee. "We swear to do whatever it takes to add Harry in his noble quest to defeat He who should not be named and free Britain of his evil ways."

I could see that Harry was completely flabbergasted by this display of loyalty. "Um, thank you, all of you, but unless we get the wards up that loyalty may be put to a swifter test than any of us want."

That evening was spent in good company. Between practices of the wards there were discussions about the Chudley Cannons, on how it was that Sirius was now back among the living and how the Ministry had cleared his name before falling to Tommy Boy, and on relocating the Weasley's and Lovegood's to Brynmawr for their own safety. As for the last, it was decided that Molly and Arthur would be happy to find a home for now in town, but that once the war was over they looked forward to rebuilding the Burrows, and Luna was sure that her Father would come as long as he could continue to publish the Quibbler.

With everything settled, we set about casting the wards and protections with one little change that I kept to myself. While the others worked away I wove into the wards a memory charm that would be triggered by anyone magical or mundane that left the town with the intent to turn Harry over to Tommy Boy or with the intent to tell him of my existence.

Once all was set I signaled the wizard we had on guard with the Snatchers and he cast the release of the body bind charms then port keyed back to town. We all knew that the Snatchers would head straight back to town as soon as they made their way out of the mine, which didn't take them long. They had clearly Apparated out of the mine and onto the road just south of town. I stood just inside the wards watching as they came up the road. When the leader of the thugs saw me, he responded as I had predicted, running straight at me firing off spells as he did. The spells did nothing more than add power to the wards, each spell being absorbed into the protections and energizing them. Then he physically hit them and I watched as he sizzled and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A cheer went up behind me, and Harry came to stand next to me. "Well Harry, what do you think?"

"Outstanding and all any spells that are sent at them with intent to destroy them or harm anyone inside them did was to just fuel them."

"Yep, pretty much, plus only those that do not wish to harm anyone within the town or the manor can enter and leave without even noticing the wards, but as you just saw if they wish to harm anyone from the town or manor, well they really will feel the burn." I then put my arm around Harry's shoulder and whispered into his ear." Plus I added a little kicker to the shields. Anyone who leaves the town whether they live here or are just visiting, who intends to tell Tommy Boy about you or I being here will not remember that little fact once they pass through the shields." The look of relief on Harry's face was worth everything.

He pulled me into a hug that made me want to cry. "Now I understand why My Parents wanted to have you as my Godmother. Thank You, Cassy. Oh and Cassy why is it you refer to You know who as Tommy boy."

"Because Harry he deceives nothing more. To refer to him as You Know Who or He Who Should Not Be Named only adds to the fear and his strength. So I call him by a child's name for to me that is what he is, a petulant child who needs to be dealt with."

Harry nodded and we walked off to join the others in celebrating our success.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

And then We Have Twelve

It was now mid-January and I had around a week before I needed to return to London. I had received an owl a week from Amanda keeping me abreast of how things were going. The Death Eater attacks on the mundanes were becoming more frequent and the disappearance of witches and wizards of less than pure blood status were increasing, leading her to belief that our rescue of Luna and the deaths of Lucius and Dolohov had really pissed Tommy Boy off, and that he was becoming desperate to find just that right stimulus to bring us back out of hiding, as her informant put it.

Since the shields had gone up around the Manor and town the Weasley's had moved down to the town, into a nice home that looked small on the outside but was more than large enough for the still growing family on the inside. Ginny had moved down to the town with her parents on the contingency that her mother promises to never make another love potion for as long as she lived. Ron had chosen to stay at the Manor with Lavender, Harry, Hermione, and the Creevey brothers. Luna had gotten word to her father who had arrived a day after we set the shields up. Xenophilius found a house on the edge of the town about halfway to the Manor that was within the shields that was just what he was looking for and he and Luna quickly made it their own.

It was about this time that Colin and Dennis expressed to me their concern about the safety of their father and asked if there was any way he could be brought to Brynmawr. This was really getting complicated, but I understood their worry and chose to send Remus and Arthur to ask Mr. Creevey to join use up in Wales. About two hours after they left, they returned with William Creevey in tow. To say that the boys were happy would be making light of the intensity of the reunion. William had been told by Headmaster Snape that the boys had been killed in the attack on the train and had spent the last two weeks grieving, so for him this is like Christmas all over again, and for Colin and Dennis just being able to hug their father was all they wanted. The boys had been used to corresponding with their father daily by owl and for two weeks hadn't had that option.

Once their celebration had settled into mere joy I was able to send the boys off to eat with the others and was able to talk with William. He was aware of Tommy Boy and all the pain and destruction he was causing and was very proud that his sons had wanted to help in whatever way they could, but until the owl had arrived from Headmaster Snape he had not truly understood that he could well lose his boys. I told him that unless it was inevitable, I would keep his boys out of the fight for as long as possible. And that if things worked out the way we were hoping that we would keep many more lives from being lost. He then looked me straight in the eyes and told me that Colin had informed him that the owl from Snape was not false, that he had died trying to save Harry and that I had brought him back, as well as Lavender and Sirius. I looked down at the floor not knowing what he wanted me to say. "Ms. Cassy, please tell me if what Colin said is true."

"Yes," I looked up into eyes filled with hope and knew what he was going to ask so I answered before he could. "The potion I have created will only work on those who are very recently dead and their body had to be in good enough state that they will not die again if the soul were to return. As for Sirius I did not use the potion on him. The way he had died was extremely unusual and allowed me to retrieve him Body and Soul intact from the other side of the Veil. So before you ask, no I cannot bring back your wife, from what the boys told me her body was too badly injured by the lorry and it has been years since her death, my potion only works if death is within a few hours."

He slumped back in the chair. "I was afraid that was going to be your answer, but I would like to thank you anyway for bringing me back my boys." He reached out and took me hands in his. "You are a wonder of a woman Ms. Cassy, thank you for my boys. Now tomorrow we will be leaving, you seem to have a rather full house and we would not wish to put any more pressure on you and your home."

"Mr. Creevey, your boys asked me to have you brought here for your safety and that is what I have done. I am not now going to let you leave to just head back into the danger they asked me to get you out of. You are not adding any strain to my home. But if you wish we can see if there is an open house in town for you and the boys, and if there is a job you would be suited for. The boys say that you are a milkman, we can see if there is an opening for a delivery driver at one of the shops. If not, I know I could use a stableman and my staff are in the process of rebuilding our out building if you wouldn't mind saying in in the manor till they are done, there is a Couch house that goes along with the job of stablemaster."

"Well, I guess there is no big hurry and I always did like working with animals. My first job at the dairy was as a stable hand in the milking barn."

"Well I'm glad to see that's all settled." Sirius sat on the arm of the overstuffed chair and handed me a glass of wine. "Now if you two wouldn't mind joining the rest of the family, dinner is waiting."

Will headed into the dining room first, Sirius wrapped me in an embrace, "Will is a very observant man, you really are a wonder Cassy. And now that we will have a trained stableman, I promise to take him to meet Buckbeak myself, so he will not have any problems, I would like to head to London with you and Remus next week. Before you tell me you need me here remember that we have a full staff of house elves as well as Will and Nym. Besides I have a favor to ask the Queen."

"And that would be."

"I wanted to ask her if she could arrange for a quiet little wedding, something a little more legal than you and me in front of the kids, Remus and Nym, by the fire exchanging vows."

"If that would make you happy that yes." I rose on my tip toes and kissed him. He kissed me back so intensely that it felt like electricity was running through us, and I forgot completely about dinner. When we finally broke he saw the look in my eyes and smacked me lightly on the ass. "Food first."

Everything had finally settled into a comfortable routine, classes on wandless wordless magic in the mornings with Ginny, Luna, and Ethan coming up from the town. A break for lunch then onto potions, and personal studies with the kids breaking off into small groups to work on whatever subject they wished, then dinner and then off to town or wherever they wanted for some fun. It was nice to feel as if some of the tension had lessened with the protection wards and shields around the manor and town allowing everyone to spread out and not having to stay cooped up at the manor. Lavender loved to drag Ron down to do some shopping or just go to the movies; they had both learned to love the movies. Harry and Hermione just liked going for long walks and being able to spend time alone. Ginny, Luna and Ethan had become inseparable doing whatever they felt like in town or in the woods within the shield. Colin, Dennis and their Dad played football, or Will would watch as the boys practiced on their brooms. And Remus and Nym kept going to check on the rebuild of the Gatehouse, since Sirius and I had promised it to them once it was done. The Coach house was to be the Creevey's new home, and the Gardiner's house and Gamekeepers house were going to Harry and Hermione, and Ron and Lavender respectively. Which would then allow Sirius and I the freedom of having the manor to ourselves.

One day till London and I was getting tired of Harry insisting that he had to accompany Sirius, Remus and I, that since he was the one that had to kill Tommy Boy that he needed to be there for every part of the defenses as well, and maybe get at least one of the Horcruxes since the pendulum said that one was in London.

" Fine Harry, but before I say yes I need you to go back to the library and use the pendulum once more to make sure the horcruxes are still where they were, the last time you checked three weeks back."

We walked together back to the library where Lavender, Ron and Hermione were all working on different subjects. Harry moved to the middle of the room and started the pendulum swinging, then commanded it to show him what he was seeking. With ever slower arcs the pendulum swung till it just stopped not pointing to anything. Confused Harry repeated the ritual giving the pendulum a little more energy, and again it slowed and then stopped revealing nothing. It was clear that Harry was now getting angry and he shoot me a glare as if accusing me of interfering with the reading. I just shook my head and moved back away from the map.

"First I am not interfering, second calm down and clear your mind, Third focus clearly on what you seek."

Harry took three deep breaths and centered himself then once again started the pendulum swinging. The room cracked with magical energy and then Lavender who had been staring intently at the pendulum began to speak in a voice that was quiet and rather ethereal but filled the room, her words clear and commanding in their intent.

"The items you seek are all in his grasp.

The Crown, the chalice and the snake, leaving one last

Fiend Fire so hot will burn them to ash

Leaving only you to fall to the lash,

For you a gift will drive it to ground

And with sword in hand it will be cut from your crown

Then like a phoenix you shall rise again

To win the day and put the war to an end"

Hermione had been fast enough to start writing as soon as Lavender has started to prophesize. Ron ran over to Lavender as she finished, catching her as she started to tip forward out of the chair. "Cassy." He looked at me for help. I pulled a small vial of smelling salts out of my pocket and ran it under her nose.

"Oh, oh how harsh, my head is spinning. Won, won what happened?"

"You went into a trance and made a prediction is what happened, and a bloody good one at that."

A smile spread across her face, "How wonderful, I only wish Madame Trelawney had been here to see it."

"That's nice and all but now we need to now find out where Tommy Boy is." Hermione handed Harry the parchment.

"Well," the voice came from behind me. "That is easy if Harry is feeling up to it." Remus finished hanging up his cloak as he joined us in the library. He had left earlier that day to retrieve Andromeda so she could stay with Nym and the kids. "You have been practicing Legilimency do you think you are ready to try and read Tommy Boy without having him notice."

Harry's head dropped and he shook it. "Not yet, I need more practice at being able to move through thoughts without letting the person I'm reading know I'm there."

"Then there is your answer, for now you keep practicing with Nym and we will see how you feel after we return from London. Till then, you try and passively let him tell you where he is. Just clear your mind so he doesn't get anything from you and make sure you are with Ron and Nym in case you need help." Remus ruffled Harry's hair. "It's not that bad, we will be back in a week and then Sirius and I can work with you Harry."

I sent the kids off to get started with dinner while I put the books back on the shelves. "So, I'm gathering Andy is having a bit of a reunion with Nym." Remus nodded. "And you didn't tell her where you were bringing her."

"Nope and Nym known to not let the cat out of the bag. "

"Well then I best go get Sirius from the stable."

Sirius and Will had been busy making sure that all the animals were use to Will taking care of them. "Time for dinner."

They both quickly washed up and we headed into the house. Sirius was aware that Andy was there and we were both waiting to see how she was going to react when she saw him since she had not been told about his resurrection.

The winter wind was blowing fierce as we made our way into the house. The others were all sitting and eating as we hung our cloaks and brushed snow out of our hair. Will was the first to enter the dining room taking the open seat between his boys and introducing himself to Andy.

"So Nymphadora, is this the person who is the master of this fine home?"

Nym rolled her eyes, "No Mother and how many times do I have to ask you to not call me that."

"Call you what sweetie?"

"Call her Nymphadora; round here we just call her Nym, Andy."

Andy spun around on her chair to look at the person who had just spoken and if she hadn't been sitting I'm sure she would have been on the floor. "OH MY…." Her hand went to her mouth and tears began rolling down her cheeks. "They said you were dead, that you died in the Ministry in battle with Bella."

Sirius walked over then stooped down to take Andy's hands and talk to her. "They didn't lie to you, I fell though the death arch in the Department of Mysteries and if it hadn't been for some skillful spell work, potion work and rune work I would still be there."

Andy kept stroking his face and looking into his eyes trying to come to grips with having back her favorite cousin. "Who?"

I stepped around the corner and out of the shadows. "That would be me."

"By Merlin's beard, Cassian. You did this? You brought Sirius back from the dead?"

Sirius rose and came to put an arm around me. "She just can't live without me."

I elbowed him in the ribs then kissed him on the cheek. "It may sound sappy but he is right, I just couldn't get over him and when Remus told me he had gotten out of Azkaban I started making plans to come back to England. Then the whole thing with Tommy Boy happened and I started to work on how to bring him back…." I explained to Andy the whole story of how we had retrieved Sirius and how we had exchanged wedding vows on New Year's Eve in front of Remus, Nym, Harry, Ron and Hermione. Then I told her that we would be leaving for a week to London and that that was why Remus had asked her to come.

"But I just got here and you have to leave tomorrow. Fine I will make sure that Nym and these youngsters don't make a mess of your home, but you have to promise me you will be back in a week and everyone will be alive and well."

"I promise my Dear Cousin that I will do my best to return with wife and best friend, all alive and intact." Sirius bowed with a grand flourish. Which Andy greeted with a slap to the top of his head.

The rest of the dinner was spent joking and reminiscing. Then Nym and Remus took Andy out to see the Gate house which was close to finished. Tap had promised me that it would be ready by the time we returned from London, and that the Carriage house would be ready by the end of the first week of Feb. Leaving just the two small cottages, The Gardener's and the Gamekeeper's which were on schedule to be finished by Valentine's Day.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

In Service to the Queen

We stood in front of the white row house. It wasn't Grimmauld Place, that now belonged to Harry and was still being watched by Death Eaters hoping to catch the Boy-Who-Lived. No, this was the home I had shared with Lily, Amelia, and Alice and was one of the four properties belonging to the Merlin. Tap had made sure I had the entrance ritual down before we left Wales. I took my walking staff that held my wand and traced out the rune pattern on the walkway in front of the house then recited the incantation to unlock the house and allow us to enter. It had been over twenty years and I was glad to have the refresher on the entire ritual. Then we walked up the stairs and into the house. Inside we were met by two ginger little house elves whose job it had been to keep this house in proper order.

"I am Ringer Mistress." He bowed

"And I am Chime Mistress." She too bowed

I nodded in acknowledgement and handed over my bag, then informed the two house elves that we would be back around 8 in the evening and to have our evening meal ready. I handed Ringer a small coin sack and told him to buy what was needed with the funds in it. Sirius and Remus had spent the five minutes we had making sure the bags were put in the right rooms. I then linked arms with both and activated the portkey section of the Merlin's badge.

I have to admit that portkey is one of my least favorite ways to travel. Once the room stopped spinning we found ourselves standing in front of the Queen.

"We are Pleased to have our Merlin back at our side. And who may I ask are your companions?"

"Your Majesty." I curtsied and waited for her to give me leave to stand. Both Remus and Sirius were down on one knee with their heads bowed. "This," I tapped Remus on the shoulder to stand, "Is Remus Lupin, ward Master and my assistant. And this," I then tapped Sirius's shoulder "is Sirius Black, rune Master and My Husband."

"So our Merlin has wed since last we spoke."

I could see Amelia out of the corner of my eye with a look of shock on her face. "Yes, in my heart my Queen, but not by the laws of the realm. We have been secluded in Wales at our home and have not had a chance to make our union legal."

"Well then we will have to see to remedying that situation as soon as you have seen to your duties here. We cannot have our Merlin living in a situation that would reflect poorly on the crown."

"As you see fit Your Majesty. Now if you would give us your permission we would like to discuss our plans with the other magic users you have in your service."

"That would suit us well. Amelia would you please take the Merlin to the west ante chamber and assemble the rest of your staff?" Then the Queen waved me forward so she could speak with me without the whole room hearing. "So my Dear Cassian, is this young man of yours the one that your Ministry had labeled a mad dog killer and then cleared of the same charges after he supposedly died?"

"Yes Ma'am he is, but he really was innocent of all the charges."

"It is good that his name has been cleared and it is very clear to these eyes of mine that you and he are very much in love. So we will arrange for the paperwork to be brought here for the two of you to fill out and then we will have the Abbott from Westminster come here to see to your nuptials."

I thanked her for her kindness and started back to join the other, but before I could, she called Sirius up to where we were.

"Young Mister Black, I am entrusting you with the welfare of my Merlin. It has taken the crown nearly four hundred years to get our Merlin back so please be aware that I entrust to you the continuation of the line. I hope you take that duty to heart and see to it that there is an heir to the line of the Merlin very soon."

Sirius took the Queen's hand and kissed its back, "Your Majesty, I assure you I will make it my mission to help my lady produce for you an Heir and at least one spare." He then winked at her, bowed and turned to walk back to stand with Remus.

"A cheeky one, your young man Cassy. Are you sure you can keep him in check?"

"He waited for me for over twenty years; I think I can hold him." She nodded then waved us off.

Once in the antechamber Amelia introduced us to another twenty or so wizards and witches. I quickly assessed who was good at what and then divided the group up into teams. The team under Remus would set the wards while the team under Sirius would then weave the runes into those wards to strengthen them and reinforce what Amelia's team would finish up with, that being the protection shields. Once those were in place it would then be up to me to add that last little codicil spell that linked the loyalty oath and the bonds of love and family into the wards and protections. The rest of that day was spent with each group learning the spells and runes they would be doing the next day.

Amelia came to sit with me as I watched the groups practice, giving them instruction where it was needed. "So would you like to tell me how you did it?" I looked at her as if I didn't have any idea what she was talking about. Then raised my arm and braced as Fawkes flow in through a high window and then landed on my shoulder. "You're kidding, you sent Fawkes through the death arch to bring him back?"

I just smiled. "Do you remember me telling you that I had found some old writings that stated that when someone falls through the veil body and soul that they are not dead nor are they alive, but in a state of limbo until they fade away?" she nodded. "Well what I didn't tell you was that there is a time limit to how long it takes someone to fade away and that if they can be retrieved before they have reached the halfway point they can be returned to the land of the living. Sirius had not reached even a quarter of his time so I knew I could bring him back I just needed to find a way to guide him back to the arch, that was were Fawkes came in." I reached up and scratched Fawkes neck. "He is a creature of life and death and thus can transverse the Veil."

"Cassy you really stun me, the things you can do are so beyond even those that it was rumored that Dumbledore could do."

I shrugged, "Honestly Amy the only thing I have over the old man is that I am not hampered by traditions and antiquated ways of doing thing, and neither will Harry be."

"You know where Harry is?" The shock on her face was clear.

"Let's just say that he is safe and is being trained to be able to match Tommy Boy when the time is right. Like you though, he would prefer that no-one knows where he is till the time is right. Talking of time, after we are finished setting these up tomorrow I want to check out Diagon Alley. Unless things have changed there is a little matter of a planned attack on the Alley in six days."

"All our information still points to the attack, though I'm not sure if Tommy Boy is aware that Xenophilius Lovegood had dropped off the radar. So their whole reason for the attack is gone. But if you can pull off this in one day then we can spare some of the guard here to help with the defense in the Alley."

I sat like the proverbial cat that had swallowed the canary. "Okay if you are up to leaving the palace for a couple hours I can let you in on some info you are in the dark about. Things I haven't been comfortable sending you by owl."

"Fine you have a dinner guest."

We spent another few hours practicing the timing and pattern of the wards and protections before I called it a night and sent everyone off with orders to meet back in the ante chamber at 5am so we could get the shields up before the first gate opened.

The row house was warm and the smells coming from the kitchen were great. Ringer and Chime had made more than enough food to feed four wizards and witches and two elves, making the meal very inviting and relaxing. I had the elves get Amelia fixed up with her old room so she wouldn't need to leave right after eating.

Remus excused himself as soon as we arrived to go talk with Nym by looking glass, while Sirius, Amy and I have a nice glass of wine before our meal.

"So you promised me information that you said you weren't comfortable sending me."

I sipped my wine and cuddled next to Sirius on the couch. "Right, okay to start with we tested the wards and protection shields out on the Manor and town just down the road from the manor. With about two dozen witches and wizards we were able to set everything up in about four hours and that was an area about twice the size that we are doing tomorrow. Of course that was also with a small group that we have been training for almost a month working as the key weavers."

"So why didn't you bring them with, they could have been helpful here."

I looked at Sirius to see if he felt comfortable with me telling her. He just nodded. "The reason we didn't bring them with is because one is Nymphadora who is about six months pregnant and the others are Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Grainger."

Amelia nearly dropped her glass. "So when you said that Harry was well protected you meant that you have him and are protecting him."

"Yeah well he and his two travel companions aren't the only people under my protection."

"Okay spill it, who else do you have hidden away at the manor."

"Arthur and Molly Weasley, and their daughter Ginny, Luna Lovegood and Xenophilius, the Creeveys, and Lavender Brown."

Amy drank down the remainder of her wine, "So all the students that were reported as killed in the attack on the train along with parents for all but Lavender. So why haven't you spirited away Lavender's parents?"

Sirius took my empty glass and headed for the dining room. "Lavender doesn't feel her parents are in any danger since they are pure bloods and not known as blood traitors like Molly and Arthur. As for Mr. Creevey, he is a mundane and father of two wizards so he is a prime target, and we both know that Xeno is a target because of the Quibbler. By the way, the reason the attack will still happen is because the presses for the Quibbler are still turning out papers and they are in Diagon Alley."

She conceded the point and we headed into dinner. Remus and Sirius were already seated when we entered and stood to be gentlemen, pulling out our chairs and making sure we were well seated and had refills of our wine before they sat back down. I looked around the table and for the first time felt the awkwardness of the meal. This was the first time in twenty one years that we were all sitting down to eat together and there were six empty chairs up against the walls. There was no James or Lily, no Peter or Katie and no, Frank or Alice. Our little group was less than half of what it had once been and that just felt wrong. I looked around the table and could see that the others felt it as well. Then Sirius raised his glass in a toast.

"To those we loved and thought lost, and to old friends gone but not forgotten who will live on in our hearts."

We all joined him in the toast and ate in silence for what seemed like a long while when Remus finally spoke up. "Nym said to tell you that all is well at the manor. Will managed to feed all the residents of the stable without any injury. And Harry reported that the Snatchers showed back up and once again tried to enter the town to only be turned to smoke and ash, but that the delivery Lorries came with the stock for the grocer and shops without any problem. And finally the owls went out with this week's stories for the Quibbler on time so the presses will have them ready come morning for delivery, there will be one here for our breakfast reading."

Amelia shook her head, "Clearly whatever you did with the shields and wards is working, I just don't get how you have managed to get it to allow some people in and not others. "

"Ahh, that's my little secret and as long as you and the other don't know then the chance of Tommy Boy finding any way to defuse it is pretty well zero. The Parliament though, I will admit, is proving to be a bit trickier, but I have a few more weeks to figure that one out and I'm sure I will be able to adjust things to get it to work there as well. After all I was able to get it to work for a town of six thousand; a couple hundred shouldn't be that hard for me to work out."

"So why not set it up for Diagon Alley?"

"The same reason I'm having problems figuring out how to set it up for parliament, too many internal conflicts and heated tempers. In the town even though there may be problems between people there is very rarely an argument that leads to violence. Diagon Alley has many visitors that are Death Eaters or are just evil in different ways so the charm would be killing people left and right. And in Parliament you have the different faction that get openly verbally violent toward each other, and at time have become physically violent. I really don't want any members of the government being ashed because they are harboring hatred toward another member of the Parliament."

We finished our meal with a lovely pudding and some sherry. Then all headed to their rooms to get what sleep we could. I had already told Ringer to wake us at 4am and to have breakfast ready since we needed to be back at the palace by 5am. The matter of Parliament dogged my sleep and around 3am it finally hit me. We would include it in the wards and protections we were setting up for the palace just expanding them to cover all the government and crown buildings in central London all the way to the Thames by using the oaths of loyalty and service to the Crown and to the people as the key and keeping the exceptions as had been set up for Brynmawr. With the solution set in my head, I woke the other and told them of the change to the plan. We would need to place groups of the three different casters at regular intervals out from the west most point of the palace grounds in a wedge to the Thames and along the riverfront.

Amelia grabbed some toast and ported out back to the Palace with Remus and Sirius. I finished my breakfast and waited for word from Sirius that they were all in position then grabbed a broom and headed out. I needed to be high to oversee the working of all the different components of the shields and wards. In the town it had been easy I could oversee everything from the top of the church steeple since none of the buildings were taller than four stores. Here there was no building that was tall enough to allow me that ability, so a broom it would have to be. I watched as the wards and protective shields began to rise up in grand arches above the buildings and park land below, then the red interlacing of the runes formed a solid magical lattice that strengthened the mesh of spells. The sun was just rising over the city when the working was ready for me to lay the last corner stone in place. From where I sat high above the city, my voice rang out clear, the words of the charm weaving into the spells that had already formed a grand dome, a dome that would be unseen by all that passed through it and were protected by it.

Once I had finished and was happy that the shields and ward had gone up with no problems I landed my broom in the courtyard in front of the Palace it was now around 9am. Amelia was the first to join me, the look of weariness and pride set upon her face, next was Sirius and then Remus. Then unexpectedly the Queen and Prince escorted by several guards joined us.

"Well My Merlin, are you here to set up the protection you have prepared for us."

"No your Majesty, I am not."

The look upon her face was that of dismay and disappointment. "You informed us that you would be performing the services that we had requested today."

"Yes Your Majesty, I did, and I have already fulfilled that promise. I am not here to set up your protection, I am here to inform you that we have finished and that we have not just protected the palace, but have expanded the protections to cover the entirety of the buildings in service to the crown from the western most corner of the palace grounds all the way to the Thames."

The look on the Queen's face went from a frown to one of being overjoyed. "You have ensured the protection of the Crown and it servants well Our Merlin, and we are most pleased with your expedience in this great task. Now with that duty achieved we will honor the promise we made to you and your beloved and will have a quiet wedding tomorrow evening in the Blue room. We will expect you and your family and friends here tomorrow for lunch first then the wedding and a small reception after. That is if this suits you."

I was not sure what to say. Then Sirius took the lead and with a grand flourishing bow once again kissed the Queen's hand. "We thank you for such a great gift and will be here promptly at noon tomorrow. Now if you will grant us your leave your Majesties we have been up since four in the morning and I can see the weariness on my beloved's face. I would at this time take her home to rest before we do some shopping for a gown for tomorrow."

"Yes, yes we can see that the day's work has wearied you all. Amelia please now that the protections are in place send the other mages to rest as well and Amelia take the next few days off to spend with your friends, you have served us well and its time you had some time to yourself."

Amelia came back to the row house to get more sleep before we were to head out to Diagon Alley.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gold and Silver, White and Black

I woke around noon to the sound of multiple people running up stairs to the upper floors of the Row House. "What the blank is going on out here?" I wrapped my night robes around me as I walked out into the parlor and right into Luna who was standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor. "Luna what are you doing here?"

"Supervising the others as they take everything up to our rooms."

"No Luna, not what are you doing here?" I pointed to the spot where she was standing, "I mean what are you doing in London and here at the Row house?"

"Oh." She smiled at me. "We are here for your wedding, Cassy".

I patted her on the head, "Good, Luna. Who all is here, who came with you?"

"Well, there is Andy and Nym, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Lavender, Ginny, Colin, Dennis, Ethan, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Daddy and Mr. Creevey stayed at the house to care for the Unicorns, and the baby Dragon. Buckbeak, Graveling, and Zeus and Hera all pulled the sleigh here and are in the rooftop stable."

"Luna when did we get a baby dragon and who and what are Zeus and Hera."

"Yesterday after you left when the Snatcher showed back up they had a baby Dragon that they were trying to force to attack the town. Harry talked to it with parseltongue and it flamed the snatchers then ran through the shields to cuddle up with Harry. It's a very sweet little thing that wants nothing to do with Tommy Boy or his people and it's very happy now to have a home and friends since it's Mother died about two months back."

"That's great Luna, now who are Zeus and Hera."

"Oh they are two Pegasi that landed in the field by the stable and have decided that they belong to the Merlin."

"And we know this… how?"

"They walked into the stable and into the two stalls that had the placards that had the names Zeus and Hera on them."

I walked back into my room and changed into my day robes, then headed back out to find Sirius and Remus. On my way through the house I could hear an argument in the kitchen and found Molly up to her old ways again. Sirius was telling Molly that it would be best if she left the fixing of lunch and the work in the kitchen up to Ringer and Chime, and she was arguing that two little elves could not handle such a large group. I walked in and cleared my throat and the room went silent.

"One, Molly, what have I told you about my kitchen? "

"I only wanted to help, Dear, being that you have so much on your plate with the wedding plans and all."

"As for wedding plans all I need to do is find the right robes for tomorrow. The Queen is seeing to all the preparations for the wedding and if anyone has a staff that can carry off a last minute wedding it's her. Now, please out, I don't have the time or the patience for this right now."

"Fine, she untied the apron and tossed it over a chair; I'll just go get ready for the trip to Diagon Alley."

I looked at Sirius, the aspiration clear in my voice and on my face. "What is going on here and who told the family about the wedding?"

"That would have been me." Remus came into the kitchen behind me. "I felt it safer to wait till Molly left the kitchen. I told Nym, who told Andy who insisted that she had to be here since she is Sirius's only Family by blood. Then Harry overheard her and Nym and insisted that he had to be here and the best I have been able to put it together is that it snowballed from there."

I flopped down in a chair and looked up at Sirius. "Well, Cassy, what can we do? It's not like we can just send them all home. The cloaking runes should keep them from setting off any alarms and the Queen did say we should bring our friends and family."

Just then the bell for the front door rang. Only someone who is a non-hostile magical could even approach the door let alone ring the bell. I told the others to all stay where they were and I went to answer the door figuring it had to be one of Amelia's people. When I opened the door though I found a young woman of around Harry's age holding a note, I had to look at her twice before I realized who it was. "Susan?"

She looked up at me and then fell upon me in a hug. "Auntie Cassy, it is you. I received this note that said I was to come here, that I was to attend a wedding and needed to meet up with friends and family to go to Diagon Alley to purchase new robes."

I walked Susan in, taking the note as I did. It was Amelia's writing, clearly she had chosen to use my wedding to let Susan know that she was still among the living and just as clearly she had intended to get Susan out of Hogwarts and into somewhere safer. I hugged Susan to me, knowing I was going to have to support the girl once she saw who all was here. I snapped my fingers to call Chime to me and whispered into her ear to tell Amelia that Susan was there. The first person she saw was Ginny who had just come down from whatever room she had been given. The two girls squealed and started talking faster than I could follow. Then Luna, Lavender and Hermione walked in and the chatter got rather loud. Then the boys all came in having heard all the noise.

I saw Amelia standing just inside the shadows in the hall and knew I needed to get control of the situation. "Alright." I put my wand to my throat. "Everyone except Susan get your cloaks and make sure those of you who need to, have disguise spells active." The group quickly disappeared up the stairs leaving Susan standing alone. I was standing between her and Amelia so she couldn't see her right off, I than stepped over to where Sirius was standing. Susan stared as if unbelieving then dropped to her knees and Amelia ran to her. Tears were running down both their cheeks. It had been over a year since Susan had come to believe she had lost her last Family. Sirius and I left the duo to talk while we got our traveling cloaks.

I had Remus bring the sleigh down into the courtyard at the back of the Row house. there I transfigured it into a stretch minibus then drove it around to the front of the house and waited for the others to all get in. It was like watching the loading of a clown car, but it was either this or taking the floo and keeping up disguise spells through the floo was difficult for even the best witch or wizard. We would still need to pass through the Leaky Cauldron, but it would just look like a couple of family groups all heading to the Alley to shop. Harry was the only one I was truly concerned about and as long as we stayed in large groups we could deal with any small problems.

As we entered the Caldron, we were joined by several of the remaining members of the Order including Bill Weasley and his wife Fleur, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. It really was a bit of a show of force but I understood why Remus had felt it necessary. Harry wasn't recognized by anyone which made both He and I feel a little more at easy and no alarms went off as we entered the Alley which meant the magic cloaking runes were still working, giving everyone a chance to breathe easier.

I escorted the entire group to Madam Malkin's to get them started with fittings.

"We have a wedding to dress for, so who is the Bride?" I raised my hand and she came over to look me over. "I have several sets of gowns and robes that will look lovely on you if you would like to head into the first dressing room."

I shook my head no. "I first need to head to Gringotts to see about my vaults so if you could please start with the girls and my handsome groom and I will be back in an hour or so."

She nodded and grabbed Sirius by the arm, then looked him up and down. The realizations of who she was looking at hit her, but then she just shook her head since everyone knew that Sirius Black was dead and just choose to continue with getting everyone proper robes for the wedding.

Andy chose to join me since Harry had written a letter for her to present to the Goblins that stated that she and Nym were reinstated into the Black family and that she had permission to retrieve funds from the vaults.

The Main room was filled with Goblins busy weighing coins and gems, at the far end of the room stood the manager's desk and off to both sides were doors that led to private rooms for reading of wills and private business. I walked up to the manager's desk and placed the Family signet ring on the desk in front of him. He picked up the ring and turned it around in his hand to be sure it was real then looked up at me. Without a word I pulled my badge out of my robes then looked him dead in the eyes.

"Madam, would you please join me in the chamber to the left."

Andy and I followed him into the room to find Ragnok the 13th head of the goblin nation sitting at the table "Please Ladies take a seat." Andy sat down, but I chose to keep standing till I had a better idea what this was all about. I tapped my finger on the badge and put my hand out for my ring which he was looking over rather intently. "I understand who you claim to be madam, but until we can verify that you are who you claim to be we cannot read the wills and give you access to the family vaults."

"So what is it that you need from me to prove my claim?"

"One drop of you blood onto this stone. This was brought up from the Merlin's vaults and only the true Merlin's blood will change it from this dull stone to the gem it truly is."

I continued to hold my hand out. "Fine, hand me the stone." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a lancet. Ragnok handed me the stone which even without the blood began to glow and change to a large ruby I recognized as the stone in Merlin's portrait at the top of his staff. As soon as it began to change both goblins moved away from the table and dropped to their knees.

"We apologize Lady Merlin, but we had to check. There has never been a Lady Merlin and the indicators on the vaults did not proclaim your return so even with the signet and the badge we were not sure you weren't an agent of the Dark One. He had tried several times to get into vaults that are not his to access."

"I thank you for your thoroughness. As for why the indicators didn't go off, I too am trying to not let Tommy Boy know I'm here. To that end I have several protections up to keep my presence from being detected. Now with that all cleared up there is a little more business that we need you deal with." I looked at Andy and she held out the letter.

The Manager looked over the letter and nodded. "Madam, were you aware that your sister and nephew are in the other office having Lucius Malfoy's will read today?"

The look on Andy's face told it all. We knew that the last place Tommy Boy had been staying at was her home and running into Cissy could be the end of our trip and our anonymity. Ragnok could see our concern and came over to stand in front of Andy.

"Your sister claims that she is not a Death Eater and that her son only took the dark mark so that the Dark One would free his father from Azkaban, that both she and her son want nothing to do with the Dark One now that Lucius Malfoy is dead, and were hoping to gain access to one of the family properties in France since the Dark One has laid claim to Malfoy Manor. I had one of my truth seers in a room adjacent to the will chamber and the seer claims that Mrs. Malfoy and young Draco are being honest. Young Draco even asked if there was a spell that could dis-spell the dark mark to that the Dark One could not find them once they left the Bank today."

"And is there a spell or procedure that you know of?" I asked.

"Sadly outside of removing the young Lord's arm, no and even that may not work."

I looked at Andy again. "It's your call Andy I think I may be able to remove it but it's up to you whether or not to trust them."

"I will speak with my sister and nephew, if you will bring them here."

The bank manager quickly left and soon returned with Cissy and Draco. Lucky for me Draco had not been on the train or in the crowd on the platform the day of the attack on the Hogwarts Express so neither knew who I was, nor seemed to care. Cissy dropped to the floor in front of Andy tears running down her face. "Oh Andy I'm so sorry, you told me that Lucius would bring me nothing but pain. The only good thing I have from the marriage is my Draco and he needed to see just how cruel You Know Who is to understand how wrong his Father's way of thinking had been."

"Get up woman and tell us what you need," Draco looked as if he would do what he had to to defend his mother if the need arose. "If you wish our aid you need to say so and tell us what you are willing to do to earn it."

Narcissa looked up at Andy the silent question on her face as to who I was and if the offer for help was real. "Do as she has asked Cissy, if you really wish to be free of You Know Who."

Narcissa sat down in the chair next to Andy and called Draco over to sit next to her. I handed a small mokeskin bag to the head clerk, and whispered to him instructions to link it to my vaults so I wouldn't need to come in every time I needed money. An invisible hand grabbed my arm then a hand came out from underneath the invisibility cloak with a second sack that I handed to the manager and informed his to do the same for Lord Potter. Speaking just barely above whispers I said, "You were to stay with Sirius and get your robes."

Andy and Cissy where talking about just how bad things at her home had gotten and how Bella was totally insane and willing to do anything to gain Tommy Boy's favor. Harry whispered his reply while I tried to listen in of what Cissy was saying and watch Draco and how he was acting. "I have my robes, Sirius sent me to see if I could find out what was taking you, and a good thing he did since I saw the goblin bringing them in here with you and was able to slip in with them."

"This all sounds legitimate and we may be able to assist you but we need some proof that you can be trusted and are not just trying to play us and then turn us over to Tommy Boy." My arms were crossed over my chest.

"The Dark Lord is planning an attack on the Alley on Candlemas. He is going to destroy the Quibbler, the Prophet, the Weasley's' shop, and Fortescue's."

"We were already aware of those plans, we need something else."

Draco looked confused and fearful as if he were afraid that if he said the wrong thing Tommy Boy would know. His eyes went down to his arm then at me pleadingly. I walked over to him and pulled a quarantine sack out of a pocket in my cloak and a small vial of the rapid heal potion. The Goblins both left the room at this point incase what I was planning didn't work. A quarantine sack once closed will incinerate whatever is placed in it with Fiend fire. I looked into Draco's eyes, "I will tell you now that what I'm going to do will be very painful and if you are lying you will most likely die. So I ask you if you are sure you want to do this?"

He nodded. "There is no pain you could inflict upon me that will not be worth the freedom having this removed will give me. And to be honest Lady, death would be better than having to live another day with that creature."

I looked over my shoulder. "Andy keep Cissy there, her Mother's instinct will be to stop what I'm doing and we need to do this quickly before Tommy Boy can suspect anything." I then looked at the empty wall. "Once the sack is over Draco's arm use a cutter to take it off quickly and cleanly." I then turned back to Draco. "Take this and drink it as soon as you feel the curse take your arm off." He nodded and braced himself for what was coming. I slipped the sack over his outstretched arm putting his robe sleeve over his head.

"Now!" I yelled and Harry wordlessly took off Draco's arm at the shoulder dropping it into the sack that I quickly closed and dropped to the floor as I just as quickly used a spell to stop the bleeding. Then I dropped his sleeve down over the stump where the arm had been. The bag on the floor had wiggled around as if a snake had been in it, but only for a second or two before the Fiendfyre consumed the arm and dark mark. I then called the bank manager back into the room and told him to have the bag destroyed. He took it then handed me back the two mokeskin bags. "Well, with that done, you have your choice of what you want to do. You can, if you really want to, run off to France and hide there, hoping Tommy Boy will not come after you. Or you can join the fight against him, no matter which though, you still owe me that information that tells me you really are honestly wanting the help we have given you."

Cissy then spoke up, Draco was still looking rather pale and wobbly. "The Dark Lord is holding Ollivander, Griphook, Dean Thomson, and Teddy in the dungeons under Malfoy Manor. If you want to free them the best time would be while his is here in Diagon Alley on Candlemas. There will be minimal guard. Peter Pettigrew and I were to be the guards. Also he has placed several items in the vault Lucius had installed in the house. He said that they needed to be kept close for safety."

That was all Harry needed to hear, he threw off his cloak and joined the conversation." Are the items a tiara and a cup?" Through Hermione's research she had concluded that Tom was using the most personal items of each of the founders of Hogwarts to make his horcruxes out of. Slytherin's ring and locket had been the first two. Gryffindor's sword we knew he had not been able to get ahold off to use, but Helga Hufflepuff's cup, had been reported as missing, as had Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem.

I threw my arms in the air, Andy just shook her head, Cissy looked shocked and Draco's eyes were as large as saucers. "Harry, remind me to stun you when we get home. Cissy, please, are the items a tiara and a jeweled cup?"

She shook off the shock and answered. "Yes, they are."

"Fine, you have your answer, now put your cloak back on and head back to the others; we will discuss what we will do after we get back to the house." Harry looked as if he wanted to interject something and then did as I had instructed him. "The question still remains what do you want to do.

Cissy rose and walked the few steps over to Draco. The two talked for a few minutes and looked at Andy and I. "We want to fight him. Lucius had been a fool to think he could control The Dark Lord and he was deluded in his beliefs about blood status."

"Fine than I would have a binding oath from you both, for my own safety." Both agreed and linked arms with me. Andy preformed the ritual that made it clear that if either betrayed me, Harry or any member of our group they both would die. With that complete we all left Gringotts and headed to Madam Malkin's. Draco was complaining about itching as his arm was already starting to grow back. I told Harry to go ahead of us to the shop since we needed to tell Cissy who all would be in Madam Malkin's.

Andy linked arms with Draco and Cissy. "We are at Madam's shop to get new robes for everyone, for a wedding tomorrow."

"That's nice Dear Sister but why should that concern Draco and I."

"Because Dear One the wedding is in our family."

Cissy looked very confused. Then Draco chimed in, "What is Potter getting married. He is head of the Black family line now and the only member of our family left besides me that isn't married."

Andy smiled and hugged them both to her. "No, the wedding is for Sirius and Cassy here."

"But Sirius is dead, both Father and Bella told me how she blasted him into the death arch."

Cissy didn't speak, letting Draco prattle on as she looked at me with an intense eye. Then she came over to me and pushed back my hood to see me better. A slow smile came to her lips and a twinkle to her eye. "Draco be quiet and bow to Lady Cassian."

Now it was my turn to be confused.

Seeing the confusion on my face as to how it was she knew who I am she smiled wider. "There is a portrait in the estate in France that was a gift to the Malfoy family; it is of Lady Cassian Dame Emrys."

My eyes widened as it hit me. I now knew how it was that Lucius had found my family and managed to have my father and brother killed, he knew the family's sire name.

"I am sorry for everything my departed Husband has done to your family and I now understand how it is that Sirius is back among the living. Only someone of your family line could have achieved such a task." She turned and looked at Andy and Draco, "Till this very moment I had not truly believed that the Dark Lord could be defeated, even with all the skill and fortitude Harry has shown I daughter it could be done. Now though I know it will be and I pledge to do whatever my lady asks of me to help in achieving this goal."

Cissy had started to drop to her knee as she was swearing the oath of loyalty to the Merlin, but I stopped her. "This is not the place for such a display. You are the first to know without being told and I would like to keep it that way." She nodded and we linked arms and finished our walk to Madam Malkin's.

As we entered the shop, the giggling and joyous mood became more somber. Andy ran over to the group and in a quiet voice told them of the oath and that it had been my idea to bring them with for their own safety.

"Does that mean that Draco is going to stop being a pure blood racist?" came a question from Ron.

"Yes Weasley it does," Draco replied. "Look I know I've been a bloody prat and none of you have any reason to trust me let alone treat me any better than I have treated you over the years. But I've seen things and been forced to do things I didn't want to that have made me understand just what a dickfuck I've been. I made an Unbreakable to Miss Cassy that I will not betray any of you and if I do it's my life and my Mother's so take it as you wish, but I am trying to make things right." He pulled up the arm of his robes to show the small stump of his arm.

"Well, then I guess I will be having four cousins at my Wedding." Sirius walked out of the dressing room in the formal robes he had chosen for the Wedding. Both Cissy and Draco dropped into chairs that automatically moved in behind then as Madam Malkin ushered me into a fitting room. I figured this one was Sirius's to explain, even though we had told them that Sirius was back from the dead I guess seeing him in the flesh was still a bit of a shocker.

By the time we finally left the Alley to head back to the row house it was late and everyone was starving and we had two more house guests. Bill and Fleur decided that they would stay with Fred and George who had also come in to get robes for the wedding. Kingsley said that he would make sure that they were there on time for the lunch and would meet us in the courtyard of the palace and with that we headed home.

Ringer and Chime put Draco and Cissy in the last two small rooms on the third floor and while the house elves were busy I set about with Andy's and scarily Molly's help getting dinner ready, Leaving Remus, Sirius and Arthur to deal with the hoard of teens that were trying to come to terms with having Draco in the house. When I came into the dining room I walked in on an argument between Ron and Harry. Harry was trying to explain to Ron how after listening to Draco and being the one to take off his arm so he could be rid of the Dark Mark he felt that Draco really had changed and that they needed to give him a chance. Ron on the other hand wasn't having it, he was of the opinion that a pure blood racist like Draco could never and would never change. I put the platter filled with roast beef on the table, and then banged a glass to get their attention.

"Look, Ron, if you really feel that I have compromised your safety by offering Draco sanctuary you can always leave."

The look on his face was complete shock. "That's not what I was saying Cassy, I just can't believe that Draco has changed."

"Actually Ron, that is what you are saying," Hermione chimed in as she came down the stairs. "You saying that Draco hasn't changed is saying that Cassy has misjudged him and has put us all in danger."

"So either you accept that I know what I am doing or you leave."

Ron's head dropped and he mumbled.

"What was that Ron, did you say something?" Hermione wasn't going to let him get away with a mumbled apology.

"I said I'm sorry and I will try to get along with Draco."

"Good now out to the kitchen and help bring the food to the table." I headed up the stairs to see what was taking Ringer and Chime. On the way up, I sent the others all down to start eating. When I reached the third floor I found Cissy and Sirius talking but there was no sign of Draco. I then found Chime in the bath straightening thing up and she informed me that Draco had headed up to the fourth floor to the stables. So I headed up to let him know that dinner was ready.

I found Draco stroking Buckbeak's feathers and telling him how sorry he was. His face was clearly stained with tears and I could tell that he had been up here for at least half an hour.

"Draco," I said softly. "Dinner is ready if you feel up to eating."

He didn't even turn away from the Hippogriff. "In our third year, when I was a right prat, I nearly got this fine fellow killed. I refused to listen to Hagrid and didn't treat Buckbeak here with the respect that I was supposed to and he reared up and my arm was cut by his talon. I made such a spectacle that my father went to Fudge and insisted that Buckbeak needed to be put down as a danger. It wasn't because I had been injured as much as it was to make Dumbledore look bad for hiring Hagrid as the teacher for Care of Magical creature. My father never liked Dumbledore and it was my fault he died. The Dark Lord made it a condition for getting my father out of Azkaban that I prove my loyalty and commitment by killing him."

"I have heard the story and I know that all you did was disarm Dumbledore, that it was Snape who actually killed him. Harry witnessed the whole thing, he saw that you hesitated and that your heart wasn't really in it. You did a lot for your father, you must have really loved him."

"Loved? No, I did most of what I did to try and win his love and respect. He was always telling me that I was weak and a Mommy's boy. All I did was to try and get him to accept me as his son. Then I saw him for what he really was after he escaped from Azkaban, a hollow shell, it had all been an act to cover up for his own feeling of unworthiness, and I was just like him. I hated myself and I pitied him, I started looking for a way to get out of it all but the Dark Lord was right there, all the time and when he wasn't my crazy aunt was and she is even scarier."

I noticed that he was scratching at his stump again. I pulled a second small vial of rapid heal out of my pocket. "Here, time for another dose. If we're going to get that arm of yours to grown back, you're going to need at least two more doses."

"What do you mean grow back? My arm was magiced off, you can't grow back limbs that are magiced off."

"Yes she can, Cassy can do anything. After all she's the Merlin." Luna came out from behind Zeus along with Ringer.

Draco turned to look at me as if he hadn't seen me before. "You are the Merlin, but how? My father said that he had killed off the last of the Merlins."

"Yeah, see your father, like so many others, was under the misconception that the Merlin had to be male. Now that kind of makes sense since they had always been male, but after your father had my father and brother killed the mantel of the Merlin fell to me. Now dinner is getting cold and I need food so let's go." I pushed Luna and Draco ahead of me down the stairs. When we finally reached the dining room the table was full as well as a second table in the sitting room twenty people was just too many. So I grabbed a plate and some food and a tray to put everything on including my tea and headed down the hall to my room. Sirius picked up his plate making a place for Draco who chose to let Luna have the chair while he stood eating his food from a plate on the corner of the table.

Once we were in the room and the door was closed all the noise was trapped on the outside and I could finally relax and let the exhaustion overtake me. I remember eating maybe three bits before the room closed in and went black.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

White to Red to Blue

Sirius had chosen to sleep in the room with Harry and Ron, wanting to try and stick to one of the traditions of not being with your bride the night before the wedding. As for not seeing me till the wedding, well that was going to be harder since I was the only one with a valid driver's license and we were all going to the palace in one minibus.

Everyone was ready to go by eleven; my gown and hooded cape were carefully placed in a mokeskin garment bag since I wanted to keep that tradition of the groom not seeing the bride in her gown till the wedding. Amelia was to be my Maid of Honor and Remus was Sirius's best man. And since I had no-one to give me away and Sirius had officially adopted Harry before falling through the Veil it seemed only right that my stepson be the one to walk me down the ail.

We arrived with half an hour before our lunch with Elizabeth and Phillip. Kingsley, Bill, Fleur, Fred and George were all waiting when we were escorted in. Sirius and I, along with Remus and Amelia, were asked to accompany a page to a small chamber where the Bishop was waiting with all the paperwork while the others where all lead to the State Dining room. Once we were finished going over the basics of the ceremony and everything had been signed and filled we joined the others for a grand lunch with the Queen, Princes Phillip, Charles, Will, and Harry, as well as several other members of the royal family. It was all a bit of a haze since all I could think of was the ceremony to come.

Once lunch was over, Sirius and Remus were lead off to one chamber to wait while Amelia and I were lead to another. Inside the small chamber were a makeup artist a hair stylist and two ladies in waiting to help me into my gown once I was properly coiffed. About an hour in a chair being primped and fed sips of champagne and I was finally ready to greet my groom. I looked in the full length mirror and could barely recognize the woman standing there. Black hair in ringlets on top of my head, silver eyes accented with silver shadow and black liner, light pink blush that made my normally pale skin glow and ruby red lipstick that accented the round fullness of my lips. Behind me the door opened and Elizabeth and Harry walked in to get Amelia and I.

"You truly are a gem in the royal crown, Cassian Emrys Dam Merlonius, and we are pleased we can give you this joyous day."

Harry just stood there with a smile bigger that I would have thought could fit his face. The Queen lead the way out, next was Amelia then Harry held his arm out to me and we exited the small chamber to the strains of Here Comes the Bride.

Hermione met us at the door to the blue room to hand me a bouquet of red and white roses with a dusting of baby's breath and silver-tail fern that cascaded like a waterfall down over my hands. The room had flowers everywhere and there were about forty chairs in small rows of five per side on either side of a long white and gold runner. On Sirius's side were Andy, Nym, Cissy, and Draco with the first seat in the first row empty for Harry. Behind them were all the Weasley's that made up the next two rows, two of which I didn't remember meeting but I had to assume were Charlie and Percy. Then in the last Row was Kingsley, Ethan and two other members of the Order I didn't know and one very large hairy gentleman who fit Harry's description of Hagrid.

On my side, from back to front, started with Will and the boys, Will and Xeno has come in via house elf transport that morning and were heading back after the reception, then Xeno and Luna. The next row was Hermione and Lavender along with the Duchess Sarah and her two young daughters. Then in the next row where all the Princes, Charles, Andrew, Edmond, Will and Harry. And in the front row sat the Queen and Prince Phillip, Susan and two people I had come to believe I would never see again, my Aunt Viv, and my Cousin Gaylord, this alone made it hard to keep the tears from flowing.

Then I locked eyes with Sirius, tall handsome and looking very much the dashing man I fell in love with in black velvet robes trimmed in black leather with a silver tie. The look on his face told me I had picked the right gown, off white with gold embroidery in a rose and star pattern around the low scooped neck and empire waist accented by a gold band and a split double skirt, the inner plain ivory silk the outer off white with the same embroidered pattern along the edges and bottom. All that was covered by a white velvet and fur cloak and that all put together I looked as beautiful as I had wanted to for him.

Harry handed me off to Sirius and I kept my eyes locked with his not wanting to break away for fear I would start crying and would not be able to stop. I had fought with the conventions to create a way to transverse death to bring this man I loved more than I could express back into the world of the living an now we stood here in front of friends and family exchanging our solemn vows of love and commitment. It had been my brother and mother's deaths that had force me to leave and had separated us the first time, then Tommy Boy and the forces of fate had kept up apart till death seems to seal our fates. Till my blood inheritance had made it fated that I was to return to the land of my forefathers and my love, and I knew the only way I would be able to live up to what Fate had in store for me was to have Sirius at my side and I set my sights upon achieving that one miracle.

So here we were, I couldn't hear anything but Sirius's vows, and I automatically repeated what the Bishop told me to say, the world had narrowed to the beating of our hearts. Amelia took my bouquet so we could exchange rings, then the Bishop said you may now kiss your bride and Sirius's lips met mine in a kiss that set my heart to flattering. We turned and the Bishop introduced us to the assembled as Lord Sirius and Lady Cassian Emrys-Black. A cheer went up from the room as we walked out to where the reception line was to be.

Everyone passed and we thanked them all for their coming and sharing in our joy. The last to come before us were my cousin and Aunt. Gaylord explained that they had flown on a plane and had arrived about a bit past noon and had not made it to the palace till lunch was over. I told him that the fact that they were here was all that mattered and then asked who had told them about the wedding. He looked back at Viv who then looked at Amelia.

"I had to Cassy; you needed someone besides Susan and I from your Family."

I hugged Gaylord and then Viv as my only living close relative left stood in front of me. She looked from me to Sirius an odd look in her eyes as she stared at him. "Cassy dear." She just kept staring at him. "Please don't thing me senile, but your young man here looks remarkably like the portrait of our Grandsire."

I leaned forward and kissed Viv on the cheek. "I know Auntie, Sirius has a very small amount of Emrys blood in him, but he also has the Merlin's soul so I guess he comes by the looks honestly."

Her eyes grow wide and she stood stunned for a minute or so, "Then the prophecy has come to pass that Merlin and his beloved Cassian will come back and the Emrys line will once again grow to lead the Wizarding world."

Now it was my turn to look shocked. I wanted to ask her more about the prophesy but alarm bells began to sound. The shields were being hit by countless dis-spelling charms, and Fiendfyre hexes. With a flourish of my hand I was back in my dark work robes and around the room all the other magicals had done the same. I looked to Amelia first, "Get your team out on their lookouts to monitor the shields for any sign of weakness. Sirius and Remus, you're with me, start checking the runes and wards to make sure we have no weak spots developing, there shouldn't be, but I want to be sure." Then I looked to the kids.

Ron was yelling at Draco, "You did this. You turned us all in to your Boss, didn't you?"

I walked quickly over to Ron and smacked him in the back of the head. "Use your head Ron, Draco took an Unbreakable if he had betrayed me, he would be dead along with his Mother."

"Oh yeah," was his only response.

I then turned to Draco. "Do you have any idea how they may have known of the wedding or if they had mentioned anything about attacking the Palace?" He just shook his head as he watched out a window as spell after spell hit and were absorbed into the shields.

"I might know how they found out," came a voice from the back of the room. It was Percy, his father had him by the collar and was marching him toward me. "I had to tell my boss why I needed the day off and instead of just giving him an excuse I told him I was attending a wedding at the Palace. I guess I let my ego get the better of me, after all how often do you get an invitation to the Palace for anything let alone a wedding?"

"And your boss would be?"

"Pius Thickness, the Minister for Magic."

"Are you a complete idiot Weasley? Thickness is one of The Dark Lord's men. Telling him was like writing a message right to The Dark Lord himself." Draco Looked at Ron with a bit of contempt on his face. "Your own brother, Weasley. So what do you have to say now?"

The sound of spells hitting the shield had almost stopped and Amelia's people had all reported back that the shield strength was up another fifty percent. That was when another alarm sounded and a report that two dragons had been spotted heading this way. I pointed to Harry "Stay here and make sure the Royals are kept safely away from any windows. The shields should hold but the pressure wave from their blasts might pop some windows in some of the ministry buildings and the Palace." I then called to the other teens. "Set up internal shield just in case of breakage."

The group all saluted and headed off with the help of palace adds to cover the interior of the palace with protections.

Finally, I called to my new Husband, "Let's get to the roof and see how well our work holds up to beasties."

We were joined by Cissy, Kingsley, Gaylord, Bill and Charlie. Charley and Gaylord wanted to make sure they weren't any of the Dragons either cared for because if they were it meant that the preserves had been compromised and the dragons were under an Imperius. They were two Hebridean Blacks being ridden by a couple of Death Eaters. Neither Charley nor Gaylord were happy at the sight but were relieved that they weren't from either preserve. Everyone around us stood with wands at the ready, Sirius and I just stood watching, confident our work would hold up.

"So have I missed anything?" Remus had finally gotten back from his check of the wards.

"Nope not yet." Was Sirius's reply, "So anything to report from your inspection?"

"Just the smoking of about a dozen or so of the Tommy Boy's shock troops, before they realized there was no way they were getting in. Oh I did hear one of them make a comment about wondering why the attack had been moved up to today instead of keeping it on Beltane."

I shook my head and looked up just in time to see the first of the two dragon's fire off a blast. The pressure wave was not as bad as I had feared it would be but I still could hear the sound of windows popping in several of the ministry buildings. Then when the rider of the second Dragon realized the fire had done nothing he decided to put his Dragon into a dive hoping to pierce the shields. This resulted in both Dragon and Rider being ashed. The first rider, having realized the folly of the attack, turned his mount and headed back north in the direction they had come from.

The entire attack had lasted a little over an hour and had resulted in an increase of the shield strength of about 75% over all, no loss of life on our side, and minimal property damage. Reports from around the shield had estimated around 70 to 80 ashed of Tommy Boy's followers, which included several squibs with guns. Like the spells, the bullets had not penetrated the shield either.

I half listened to the comments from Cissy, Kingsley and the Weasley Boys as we made our way back down to the reception room. All those who had not seen the shields at work before were in shock of how well they had worked and amazed at the fact that not only hadn't they fallen under such a fierce attack, i.e. nothing has ever held up like this under that much Fiendfyre. But that they had absorbed the attacks and used the energy to increase the shield's strength.

We found the Queen still sitting calmly on her throne while everyone else was righting chairs and taking their seats. "Well My Merlin, you have proven yourself and your work to be of the level you had promised. We are impressed with what you have achieved and would like to honor you and your assistants with medals of service to the crown once this war is over."

I once again thanked her Highness for her complement and changed back into my wedding gown. No Death Eater attack was going to ruin my day. Even Amelia was impressed and kept telling me so the more champagne she had. All in all, the day had turned out to be everything I had wanted and more. Even with the attack and reports of minor skirmishes with disheartened Death Eaters being arrested only to have them turn to ash when the arresting agent tried to bring them through the shields to incarcerate them.

At the end of the reception as we were all getting ready to leave two pages pulled Sirius and I to the side to inform us that a wedding chamber had been prepared for us here in the palace. When I objected stating that there was no one else capable of driving the minibus, I was informed that the Queen had already assigned one of her drivers to take the family back to the Row house and that all other arrangements had been seen to. So Sirius and I said our goodnights to everyone and were escorted to the Wedding suite.

The doors to the suite were swung open to reveal the room, splendid with a very tall canopy bed decked out in fine linens and bed drapes, a small table set by the large windows held another bottle of champagne alone with plate of caviar and biscuits and other decadent little morsels, and a roaring fire in the fireplace, Sirius swept me up in his arms and carried me into the room as the pages closed the doors behind us, leaving us alone for the first time in what seemed like forever, even though I knew it had only been a day. But what a day it had been, and now we would truly start our lives as Husband and Wife.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

And Back to Work We Go

Will, Xeno, Colin, Dennis, Ethan, Lavender, Nym, Andy, and Cissy all headed up to the Manor after the Reception leaving my Aunt Viv and cousin Gaylord to stay the night with, Molly, Arthur, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Susan, Amelia and Draco, Which meant there was more than enough room in the Row house for everyone. Sirius and I spent one wonderful night at the palace then bid the Queen ado since it was two day till the attack on Diagon Alley and we still had a whole lot of planning to do.

Kingsley, Hagrid, Bill, Fleur, Charley, and the twins arrived early the morning of the twenty-ninth to help with the plans for the defense of the Alley, so early that Sirius and I were the last to arrive. It was decided that the Weasley clan would help with the defenses of the Alley along with Remus, Hagrid, Sirius, Luna, Amelia and I, the only Weasleys not going to the Alley were Ron and Ginny. Ginny because her mother didn't want her placed in that kind of danger and Ron because he had chosen to accompany Harry, Hermione, Draco and Kingsley to Malfoy Manor to free the hostages and destroy the manor and the horcruxes in the manor vault. Susan would be staying at the Row house with Ginny, my Cousin Gaylord and Aunt Viv, who I found out that day, had taken a two week leave to spend time getting to know Sirius.

Amelia had also informed me that we would have backup from the magi squad that she was the head of since the defenses for the palace and all the ministry building had proven to be so effective. This meant that the defending forces would be around two dozen. We hoped it would be enough.

The morning of the first was clear and crisp and I hoped that the remaining inner circle Death Eaters had had second thought about the attack. We took up positions in several key locations, Amelia had her people milling about looking in shop windows while Luna, Remus and Hagrid waited just inside the main doors to the Quibbler offices. Sirius, Amelia and I took positions around Fortescue's. Molly, Arthur and the Twins took to defending the Twins' shop, and Bill, Fleur, and Charlie waited just inside Gringotts.

Black misty aperation trails started flying into the alley from all directions heading for the four locations we had already staffed to defend. Without a word the defenders all fired off shield spells, then followed with Patronus spells and entanglement charms. This managed to take out about half of the attacking force before they could even fully form. Amelia and her people quickly secured those that had been taken out while we regrouped for the next wave of attackers. This first wave of Tommy Boys attack was made up of his high level shock troops and had been intended to cause chaos and drive any witches and wizards foolish enough to try and fight to ground where they could easily be dealt with.

Clearly they had not anticipated an organized defense force. So when the second wave came in they believed that the lack of shoppers was due to the first wave. Bellatrix and Rodolphus came walking out of Flourish and Blotts, as if they owned the place and head in our direction with the intention of taking out Fortescue's. That all changed when Sirius and I with shields and protections already case walked out of the shop. With the sight of her cousin standing in her way Bellatrix went into a berserk fury, running at us her wands pointed at Sirius and I and yelling. "I killed you I know I killed you. Why aren't you dead?"

The green light erupted from her wand only to hit the shield. Then Rodolphus sent a flame curse at us which also did little more than bounce off the shields, setting the awning over to the right on fire. This was getting tiresome. Bella then began hopping around yelling "You can't hit me," when Sirius, with a flick of his finger, hit her with a full body bind, silence and stun combo. Rodolphus though just kept hitting the shields with every spell he seemed to know in rapid succession, till I finally had enough and hit him in the middle of the chest with a cascade Reducto, causing him to fall over clutching at his chest till the spell finished its job and his chest collapsed in and he ceased breathing freeing up Sirius and I to help elsewhere.

Across the alley a raging fire fight was taking place pinning down Molly and Author while the twines engaged Greyback and Macnair, but before we could get close enough to pull some of the attack Macnair fired a blaster at the second story of the shop causing the wall to crumble. As if in slow motion the wall that Fred was standing in front of came down on top of him causing Molly to finally stop pulling her spells and she hit Macnair in the chest with a full on cutting curse laying his chest wide open and killing him. She then hit Greyback with a Fiendfyre curse setting him ablaze. Author finished him off with a bubble charm that surrounded the old wolf keeping him from setting anything else on fire till the oxygen was used up and Greyback suffocated. Then they all set to work lifting the stones off Fred. I quickly threw her a rapid heal potion and headed down the street after Sirius who was heading to the Quibbler to help Remus and Luna. Hagrid down whether he was dead or just out cold I couldn't tell from where I was. Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott had fired off three AKs hit Hagrid all at once.

Sirius was coming up behind the trio. Nott, Crabbe and Goyle were all firing cutting curses at the walls of the Quibbler, keeping Remus and Luna pinned down. I yelled to Sirius, "Mirror!", Which he understood immediately and without a word place an inward reflecting mirror shield around the trio. This left just the large group that were trying to blast away the doors of the bank.

Amelia and about a dozen of the defense squad along with Remus and Luna had joined Sirius and I in a defensive line behind the group of about ten attacker. Silently we set our shields and protections as we readied to draw their attention from the bank and the defenders within. Voldemort stood at the center of the group, monologuing to those within the bank about how this was a fool's resistance and how he might find it within his heart to let some of them live if they gave up now. By the time he and the rest of his followers realized that there was a group of close to twenty defenders behind them, we were ready for whatever they could throw at us. "Destroy them was all," he yelled as he turned and engaged me.

I knew that until we destroyed all the horcruxes he could not be killed, but I could sure as hell make him hurt. For the first time I pulled out my wand and hit him full force with a Reducto. His right arm and part of his chest exploded as the shield absorbed the killing curse he had meant for me.

"You will die for that Witch." he ran his wand over the wound and the bleeding stopped, but it was clear by the way he held himself that I had caused him more than a little discomfort.

"I don't think so old man, and by the way you can call me by my title." I met the second Avada with a cutter from my wand before it even met up with the shield.

"And what would that be and why would I even care?"

I pushed my spell even harder shoving his spell back into his wand which cracked and splintered in his hand. "The title is Merlin, and I have had enough of you."

Around him Death Eaters lay on the ground stunned or dead. Realizing he was defeated, with a wave of his hand Voldemort and Nagini Aperated out.

Of the named Death Eaters our two defensive strikes had whittled their numbers down. Both Lestrange brothers were now dead along with Lucius Malfoy, Dolohov, Greyback, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Rockwood and Macnair. Bella was in custody once again. This along with the attack on the Express and other altercations over the years had cut their number leaving less than half of the known marked Death Eaters.

While we were busy at the Alley, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Kingsley Aperated to Malfoy manor and stayed hidden in a room Lucius had not told Voldemort or any off the Death Eaters about. He had it put in so he could observe his guests without them knowing. Draco had learned of its existence just prior to his father's death when Lucius had shown him the room as a way that Draco could hide from Voldemort and Bella. There they would wait and watch for Voldemort and the others to all leave.

Clearly Voldemort believed that Narcissa and Draco had fled and were of no threat since he stuck to the original plan and left only Pettigrew to watch over the hostages. This was to be a quick in and out, take out Peter, free the hostages and set the manor ablaze with Fiendfyre, and get the hell out of there before Voldemort and the others, or what was left of them came back.

Kingsley headed outside to keep a keen eye out for apparition trails. Hermione and Ron took up watch positions just inside the main entrance hall and Harry and Draco went to find Peter. As Draco had suspected Peter was in the kitchen, raiding the stores, when they confronted him. As soon as he saw the two teens, his hand went for the Dark Mark to call for help. Harry took off the silver arm without a word then hit it with a directed blast of Fiendfyre to turn the tool of evil to slag. Draco was left to duel with Peter will Harry was busy with the arm. When Harry offered to assist, Draco waved him off stating that he had wanted to school the old traitor for months. Harry reminded him that they were on a schedule and really needed to be going if they wanted the Fiendfyre to have a chance to do its job. So without further ado, Draco hit Peter with a confundus charm leaving him sitting on the floor happily eating some cake.

That was when Hermione can running in, "Have either of you seen Ron. He claimed he heard something upstairs and headed off to find you."

Harry looked at Draco. "Take Hermione and head to the dungeons and get everyone out."

"No," Draco replied. "I know this house better than anyone. You head to the dungeons, I'll find Weasley."

Harry nodded and headed down the route that Draco had drawn out for them. They found the dungeons easily and then called Dobby and Kreacher to take the hostages to safety at Mawr Manor were Andy and Nym would be waiting for them there.

Draco headed up to the second floor in search of Ron and after checking half dozen rooms he found him in Lucius's office riffling through the drawers. It was clear he had already raided several rooms by the bulges in his pocket. "What the hell do you think you are bloody well doing Weasley?"

Ron gave him a sheepish grin, "Just seemed a shame to let it all be devoured by the Fiendfyre and it's not like anyone will be looking for this stuff after the fire."

Draco reached into Ron's pocket and pulled out a necklace of obsidian. "This is Bella's and if you were paying attention you would have noticed she has a tracing charm on it. Now empty your pockets and let's get out of here."

Ron reluctantly emptied his pockets while Draco went over to a picture and waved his wand in front of it. The picture slid to the side to reveal a safe filled with galleons. "Besides, if you had just asked I would have helped you get the real haul." The two teens loaded their pockets and several mokeskin bags with everything in the safe and headed down the stairs to meet up with Harry and Hermione. Draco handed Hermione a couple of bags. "This is your and Harry's cut, now let's start a fire that will make the burning of London seem small."

From the entryway the four aimed wands in different directions and fired. Fiendfyre leapt from each wand setting all it touched ablaze. Satisfied with their work, the foursome joined Kingsley then called Dobby and Kreacher back and Apparated up to a hill overlooking the manor to watch as it burned. When the roof collapsed, an explosion and shock wave hit the group, this along with Harry collapsed in pain told them all that the destruction of the Horcruxes in the vault was complete, the fire had done its work.

With that, Kingsley gave the order for the two house elves to take them all home, and they Aperated home to Mawr Manor, dropping Kingsley of at Grimmauld Place on the way, but not before Harry spotted a trail of black smoke heading to the now destroyed Malfoy Manor.

Back in the Alley, even with the rapid healing potion, Fred was barely holding on and I knew that if we didn't get him back to my lab he wouldn't be making it. I handed Amelia the keys to the Row house then called Sirius over.

"We need to take Fred to my lab if I'm going to save him. I need you and Amelia to get everyone back to the Row House then transfigure the bus back to the sleigh, hook up the mounts and then meet me at home." I poured a second healing potion down Fred's throat, and wrapped him in a body bind so I could levitate him without his body taking any more damage. I know there was no way Molly was going to let me take her son without her, so I turned to her and asked her if she was up to helping me transport Fred back to the lab at the Manor. Molly nodded and we then wrapped Fred in my heavy cloak and linked arms around him. This wasn't going to be easy on any of us, but I hoped the healing potion I just gave Fred would hold him for the transport. With everything at the ready, I activated my badge which port keyed the three of us back to the Manor.

In the lab, I had Molly levitate Fred into one of the infirmary beds and do a warming charm to keep his body temperature up to normal so the potions would work better. I needed to keep him in a body bind so he wouldn't move while the bone setting charms did their thing. Then I started doing mending charms to assist the healing potions in repairing the internal damages. I had Molly wrap Fred's head in a bandage that had been soaked in potions to reduce the swelling in his brain and to keep him asleep while we worked. This was going to be a long night, so I told Molly to lie down in the bed next to Fred's to try and get some sleep while I sat at his side monitoring his vital signs and feeding him healing potions at regular intervals.

About a half an hour into our work, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco arrived and for the first time Andy and Cissy realized that Molly, Fred, and I were in the lab. Andy came over to help with monitoring Fred while I set to work along with Hermione's assistance brewing up more healing potions using some threads from the Veil to help strengthen the bonds between body and soul. This was another level above the rapid healing draft and would hopefully stabilize Fred enough that we could back off on the body bind and the sleeping draft. Though both were helpful they made monitoring Fred's progress harder. It took us about two hours to get the potion to it full strength and it would be another hour before it was cooled enough to feed it to him.

Cissy came in just before the potion was ready to let us know that the sleigh had arrived and that there was another patient for me to see. Sirius and Remus along with Arthur were levitating Hagrid into the infirmary I quickly used an Engorgio spell on the last bed to enlarge it to a size to fit Hagrid. The AKs that had taken Hagrid out of the battle had not killed him but had driven him into a comatose state and if he was not roused soon he might not come out of it ever. This was one of those times when having an MD as well as being a Healer come in handy. Hagrid's vital signs were almost undetectable.

First I force feed him a resurrection potion, even though his body was still hanging on his soul may well have been driven off. Then I pulled a large syringe out of my medical bag and a small vial of adrenalin. The needle on the syringe was nearly eight inches long and I hoped it was going to be long enough and strong enough to pierce Hagrid's skin and reach his heart. I had Harry, Sirius, Remus and Arthur use restraining spells to hold Hagrid still so I could climb onto his chest and plunge the needle deep into his chest injecting the adrenalin into his heart to try and stimulate it enough to bring him out of his coma. I had barely pulled the needle out when his eyes came open and he tried to sit straight up knocking me to the floor.

"Hagrid, Hagrid," Harry yelled. "Relax, Cassy had to just give you some medicine to wake you up, you were hit with multiple curses and you weren't coming out of it. Please Hagrid, relax and lay back down."

It took another second or two but then he did relax and lay down. This then gave me the chance to feed to Fred the new healing potion. It took the new potion about fifteen minutes to take effect but when it did the change was astonishing. Fred's pulse became stable and strong, his breathing slowed to a deeper steady rate and when I removed the body bind it was clear that his pain had lessened and he was resting easy.

I could finally relax myself and ask Harry how their mission had gone. He told me that everything had gone well, that they had gotten the hostages out and had set the Manor ablaze, and had waited to make sure the horcruxes were destroyed. That he knew they had been since his scar had pained him so badly when they were that his knees had given out from under him. Then he got a look on his face as if he had just realized something that truly disturbed him.

"Cassy, when we found Pettigrew we subdued him and left him in the kitchen. In all the commotion of getting everyone out then feeling rushed to get the job done, I had forgotten about him. He was in the Manor when it went up."

Sirius had been standing behind Harry as he told me what had happened. "I know it doesn't make it any better, but Peter had a much longer life than he deserved after what he did. Harry, he didn't just betray your parents to Tommy Boy he made sure they had no warning and no way to defend themselves. He had disarmed the alarm wards and he as the rat that he was snuck into the house and hid their wands." Harry looked at Sirius with a questioning stare. "I had been in Azkaban about a year and was still being held under restraint spells when Peter showed up to gloat. He knew I couldn't get out at him and that I couldn't even transform at that point. He told me how he had betrayed your parents and how he had made sure they couldn't stand against Tommy Boy.

"Why hadn't you told me this before?" Harry looked confused and hurt.

"Because I knew that if you had known the extent of Peter's betrayal of your parents that you would have gone after him no matter where he was. And I had, had so little time with you that I didn't want to risk losing you. Can you forgive me for not telling you?"

"I still don't feel right in leaving Peter to die in the inferno, but I guess in a way his death was fitting. Yes I forgive you but please don't hide anything from me ever again, I don't want anything to ever come between us.

With that all straightened out I finally inquired about our new guests. Andy told me that Ted would be in for some healing as soon as I was free, as well as Dean and Ollivander; but that Griphook was sure I could not help him since he was a goblin. I checked once more on Fred then Hagrid and then told Andy to bring all the others in including Griphook. After checking them all over it was clear that they all had been tortured as well as deprived of food and water, but that none were so bad that a couple of days of healing potions in their morning juice as well as proper food and rest wouldn't fix them up, the same treatment I had been using on the rest of our growing family.

It was time for dinner and I sent everyone out to go eat while I sat and watched my patients. George came in about half an hour later with a tray of food for Hagrid and a plate for me, Hagrid and I had been talking. He was happy to tell me all about all the amazing things Harry had done while at school and how very much he had missed seeing him this last year. That all stopped when George placed the tray of food on the bed side table. George then handed me the plate he had brought in for me then sat down in the chair by his brother's side while I ate. That was when I got a good look at what was left of his left ear.

"George when did you lose your ear?"

"About five months ago when we retrieved Harry the last time, Snape hit me with a cutting curse and took it off."

I handed him a vial of the rapid heal, "Here, drink."

"Cassy it was spelled off there isn't anything the healers could do about it, after all you can't heal a limb that has been spelled off."

"George who is the healer here, you or me? Now drink."

He shrugged and upended the vial then went back to watching over his brother. About fifteen minutes later he started to complain that his ear was itching. I just giggled and went back to my meal.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Thinking Outside the Box

About three in the morning Molly got up and sent me off to bed, but not before she responded with shock to seeing George asleep in the chair next to his brother with the small but clearly growing ear where there had not been one.

I just smiled, "Never believe that something can't be healed, if a spell can remove it then a spell or potion can get it back. You just need to have the right spell or potion." I headed out to bed telling Molly that if anything happened to wake me.

In our room Sirius was sound asleep in a chair by the fire, clearly he had been waiting up for me to come to bed. I quietly undressed and then woke him with a kiss so he could join me in the more comfortable confines of our large feather bed.

"So how is Fred doing," he asked as he slipped out of his day robes.

"Honestly, I really wish I had the equipment to check on the swelling in his head. With all the potions I have been giving him it should have gone down by now."

"Well let's see how he fares tonight, the potions might just need some extra time."

I was woken about seven am by Sirius. Fred was awake and they felt I needed to look him over. It didn't take more than a look to see that even though he was healing there was still a long road till he would be well enough to be released. By the look of his right eye and the right side of his mouth it was clear he had suffered a stroke due to the swelling in his brain. The MD in me told me I needed to get him to a hospital to run an MRI. The Healer in me said to keep feeding him healing potions and potions to reduce the swelling and hope for the best. The combo said let's do both and pinpoint the potions for the best results. I used the Mirror to contact Amelia.

"Hi Amy, I need to ask a big favor of you. I need to take Fred into St. Mary's for an MRI."

"I'll help if I can, but why do you need to take him to a muggle hospital and what's an MRI?"

"Okay, one you know I have my Mundane Medical License, I need to run a test that I can only do at a mundane hospital. In the papers I gave you was a copy of my medical license take it to the Queen's Steward and tell him I need visiting physician privileges and that I need to use their MRI. Once you have done that get back to me, And Amy I need this as soon as you can get it."

She nodded then broke off the connection. I then spent the next hour doing what tests I could and documenting all the results. If St. Mary's was like any American Hospitals even a physician with visiting privileges needed to justify any tests. It took about an hour for Amelia to call back and inform me that I needed to meet with the Steward so he could give me the papers I would need. With that I put Fred into a chair I had transformed into a wheeled chair and then activated the portkey that took me to the Palace.

We arrived in the sitting room off the Throne room. There we were quickly meet by the Steward, he handed me a letter from the Queen requesting that the administrators at St. Mary's grant me VP status and the use of any and all equipment I needed. He also handed me a British Medical license and a medical card made out in Fred's name. Then he walked us out to a waiting ambulance that was to take us to the hospital.

At St. Mary's I presented the letter and was escorted to the physician's locker room while an orderly and two nurses prepped Fred for the MRI. When I joined Fred in the prep room, I could see he was scared. I went over the whole procedure with him and reassured him that he would be fine. Then the attendant wheeled him into the room and positioned him on the bed. I had warned him that the MRI was loud and to just try and ignore the nose. The test took about half an hour and showed what I had suspected. I now knew just what I needed to do and how best to alter the healing potions to get the results I needed to heal the small bleeder that the MRI had discovered.

I had the orderly take Fred to a private room and get him some food while I went down to the lab to do what I needed to, to key the potion. It was interesting the looks I was getting from the pharmacy techs as I combined the raw ingredients and then sent them to distill over a low flame. After about an hour of reworking, the potion was ready and I headed up to the room to give it to Fred.

Fred was sitting up while a very cute little candy stripper was feeding him. He gave me a wink with his good eye and I silently signaled him that I would give him another five minutes but that would be all. I went out to the desk and got a cup of tea. The lack of sleep was starting to get to me and I could have sworn that the secretary at the computer in the nurse's station was Lily's sister Petunia. I shook my head and sipped my tea as I tried to shake off the haze that was starting to overtake me. Behind me I heard someone clear their throat and turned to see a Doctor who was maybe a few years older them me.

"So you are the American the Queen has chosen to intervene for."

"Yes, I am friends with Her Majesty, and yes, she did help in expediting my VIP status." I held out my hand to the Doctor standing in front of me, "Doctor Cassian Emrys of Salem Mass. Now of London since I have moved back to Britain."

He took me hand, "Doctor Michael Dean Thomas."

His name clicked in my mind since I had just heard it less than a day ago. "By any chance would you have a seventeen year old son named Dean?"

He looked at me with a suspecting eye, "Yes but I haven't seen him in several months, why do you ask?"

"Because I saw him just yesterday."

He asked me to join him in the back records office where we could talk uninterrupted. "How is he, is he well and where is he?"

His questions showed me that he was very worried and missing his son. "He is a little worse for wear, but recovering at my home in Wales."

It was clear he wanted to know more, but a nurse came into the office. "Doctor Thomas your patient is ready and Doctor Emrys the aid had finished with your patient."

"I will be in with Fred for the rest of the day monitoring his progress if you wish to talk." He nodded and squeezed my hand thanking me for the little bit of info I had given him. I headed in to finally give Fred the adjusted potion. He was lying back clearly tired from having sat up for an hour eating. I helped him to sit up and fed him the potion then helped him to get comfortable enough to fall back to sleep. In the corner of the room was a family attendant recliner so I pulled it over and laid it back to try and get a small nap in while I could.

I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep when I woke to find Dr. Thomas checking Fred's vitals. "So how is he doing?"

"If it wasn't for the scans and intake notes I would say this young man was perfectly healthy and should be sent home." He walked over and made sure the door to Fred's room was closed. "Dr. Emrys, you're not an ordinary Doctor are you?"

I knew what he was trying to ask without saying it. I smiled and nodded, "Yes, Dr. Thomas I am more than just an MD. I am like your son, as is Fred here. But unlike most healers in the Wizarding community I have learned to us both mundane medicine and magical healing in combination to get the best results for my patients."

He sat down in the chair across from me. "I know this might be asking a lot, but I would like to see Dean. His Mother and I understood that he felt it was safer for us if he were to leave, but he is still my son and if it's not a danger I would like to see him."

"Well I first need to do a second MRI on Fred here to be sure the treatment I gave him has worked. And I can't do that till tomorrow."

He agreed to meet me the next morning in the body imaging lab. Then thanked me again for taking care of his boy.

Fred was awake with the dawn and wanted to get out of bed. I insisted that he sit back and continue to heal since it had been less than three days since the wall had fallen on him. He was going to argue till the cute little aid came in with his food. She smiled at him and was going to say something till she saw me, then informed me that there was a fresh pot of tea at the nurses' station and some biscuits. That was fine I hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours and needed some carbs to get me moving, so I let Fred know that he would be having his second MRI around ten so to make good use of his time before the orderlies came to prep him around eight thirty.

When I walked out to the nurses desk, the nurse on duty handed me a note that she said had been dropped off for me; it read (Cassy I am having trouble keeping the Weasley's from all coming to London to see how Fred is doing, it would be best if one of the family where to come down to see him and report into the rest of the family. Love Sirius) I folded the note and headed to the back room for some privacy. Once I was sure I was alone I pulled the communication mirror out of my pocket. It only took a couple of seconds before the smile that melted my heart was visible in the mirror.

"So you got my note."

"Yes, I got it and since I know the kids are all there could you have Ginny and Dean take the floo to our place here in London and then take a cab over to the hospital to see Fred and Dean's Dad?"

"Sounds like you have already thought this through before you called me."

"Well, I ran into Dean's dad here at the hospital and he is worried about his son so it just made sense that he and Ginny come together since they had been dating before Molly started using the love potion on her."

"You are incorrigible, but to be honest I would have been making sure the two have had as much time as possible together since he arrived two days ago. So I guess great minds think alike." His smile broke into a grin. "I'll send the kids as soon as we are done and they should be there in less than an hour."

"Good, Fred will have the next test at 10 and has about an hour before they prep him for the test so if they leave now they can sit with him while he gets ready for the test."

"Well then I best be off to get them on their way." He blew me a kiss then the mirror went blank.

I sat down and had my tea and a couple of cookies and tried to relax while Fred enjoyed his breakfast with the aid. I guess I had dozed off for a few, since I didn't even hear the nurse enter till her hand was on my arm. "Doctor Emrys there are some visitors here to see your patient." I nodded and when out to see Dean and Ginny, only to find them accompanied by Amelia and Sirius. I just shook my head and turned to the nurse.

"Could you please page Doctor Thomas?"

She nodded and picked up the phone. Dean gave me a look as if to say thank you, but that he was worried about what was to come.

"Ginny your brother is in room 314 just down the hall if you want to head down."

Amelia went down to Fred's room with her while Sirius waited with Dean and I for Michael to show up.

"So you didn't say how Fred was doing when we talked and I felt it was best to not send the kids all on their own."

"We would have been fine, besides I've been on my own for a few months."

"May I remind you that you had to be rescued from Malfoy manor after being grabbed by some Snatchers?"

Dean was about to argue the point when his Stepdad walked up behind him. "You had to be rescued?"

Dean turned to face his Dad. "Yes Sir, but I'm fine now and I'm safe where I'm staying. And I'm even continuing with my education."

Michael just smiled and dragged his son into a hug. They were busily talking and making plans for dinner when Ginny's voice cut in.

"Cassy, Fred is insisting that he is fine and ready to head home." I waved to Michael and headed down to take care of the situation at hand while Sirius calmed Ginny down before following.

Fred was trying with little luck to get out of the bed when I walked in. "Sit your ass back in that bed. You are the patient and I'm the Doctor, and until I clear you, you're not going anywhere. The orderlies will be here soon to take you back down to have a new MRI and after I see their results then we will decide what treatment you may still need."

Fred settled back down and continued his visit with his sister and Sirius while the orderlies started the mild sedative to prep him for the test. Once he was ready Sirius, Amelia and Ginny were shown to the visitor waiting area while I accompanied Fred down to the MRI lab.

I watched as the images came up on the monitors, scanning for any sign of bleeding or abnormalities. For close to an hour the technician and I watched as the images came up then I went over the compilation after the orderlies took Fred back to his room. The potions had worked their magic and all the injuries that had prompted me to bring Fred to the St. Mary's were on the mend. He wasn't a hundred percent yet but with continued rest and standard healing draft he would be within a few more days. So to keep Fred from pushing himself too fast I decided to keep him in St. Mary's for another two days.

I finished the paperwork to keep Fred for the next two days and headed up to his room to let him and the others know. To say the least Fred wasn't thrilled but agreed to stay put and let the draft do its job. Ginny and Dean were heading to Dean's parents for dinner and Michael had even offered to put Ginny up if she needed a place to stay, but I assured him that there was more than enough room at our home for her to stay with us till we all headed back to Wales in two days. And that since Dean was concerned about safety and all that it might work better if he and his family joined us at the Row house for dinner.

Michael looked at Dean then called his wife. A few minutes later it had been decided that the Thomas family would join us for a lovely meal at the Row house. While that was taking place, Amelia called Susan to ask her if she wanted to join the rest of us for dinner and have her tell the house elves of the added guests. She then made a call to the royal wizards under her and asked that two of the guardians be sent to keep an eye on Fred and make sure he stayed safe and sound while I had a relaxing evening, and they could make sure he continued to drink the draft I had left for him.

As the last of the arrangements were seen to, Fred's lunch arrived, so we all excused ourselves to go get some food ourselves. The Guardians had already already arrived so before I left I gave them the schedule of treatment and let them know that I would be stopping back around 10pm to check on how things were going and to give their replacements any changes to Fred's treatment. With that I headed for the Row house with Sirius. Amelia went with Ginny, Dean and Michael to the Thomas house as guard and protector so he could see his Mother and sisters before tonight's dinner and collect some of hid things to bring back to the manor.

At the Row house, the elves were already seeing to the arrangements for dinner, the count of guest with Dean, plus six members of the Thomas family, Amelia, Susan, Ginny, Sirius and I came to twelve. Not the largest group we had served in the Row house so far, but the most mundanes. So there was going to be a great deal of explaining throughout the meal, and I had gotten very little sleep in the last two days. With that all in mind a nap before dinner was part of my treatment plan.

I woke to the sound of my wrist alarm going off and found it hard to get out of bed due to the warm loving embrace that was not releasing me. I rolled over and kissed Sirius.

"Sweetheart, we really need to get up and get ready. Its 5 and Amelia will be arriving with the Thomas's and Ginny within the next hour, not to mention that Susan should have made it back from classes by now."

"I am well aware of all that, but it has been two days since I've held you in my arms and we have only been legally married for a less than week, so you will have to forgive me if I am somewhat unwilling to let you go."

I kissed him once more then gently removed myself from his embrace and headed into a nice hot shower. It wasn't long before he joined me and took advantage of the suds and tight quarters leaving us little time to dress and keep from being caught in our room by our guests.

We had just checked over all the dishes and arrangements with the elves when Susan joined us in the kitchen then came the familiar sound of the chimes as someone passed through the wards. This was not good. The alarm would not go off if someone who had passed through the wards was family or guest were approaching the house and they would not go off if a mundane was coming through them escorted by already known witch or wizard, and clearly it wasn't someone who was wishing us harm, the wards would not let them through. With that all accounted for Sirius ordered Susan back up to her room then come to stand at the door with me as a knock sounded. His arms were behind his back with his wand at the ready as I opened the door to find Ragnok the leader of the Goblins along with 3 others, one of whom was Griphook who had disappeared after I had treated him for his injuries at Tommy Boys hands, they carried between them a large trunk.

"We have brought to you a trunk that was left with us with the instructions to give it to Mr. Harry Potter upon his 17th birthday and or his betrothal to a witch. Since we are not able to deliver this trunk to him ourselves, we are entrusting it to you to do so. You are the Merlin, the head of the Wizarding world here in Britain, and you know where Harry Potter is residing so we trust that you will deliver this to him as per his parents' wishes. "

I stepped to the side and let them bring the trunk in. Then they turned, bowed and were gone as quickly as they had arrived. Just in time too, as Sirius and I watched a dark blue minibus pull up to the curb in front of the house. I smiled and waved as Amelia, Ginny, and the Thomas family got out of it.

Introductions and greetings were exchanged and it was clear that Dean was in heaven being able to spend time with his four sisters, Mother and Dad. Mrs. Thomas, Evangeline was a lovely woman in her mid-forties with a musical Jamaican accent and a large smile who clearly loved all her children, but was most proud of her son Dean. It was also clear as the evening passed that she was no stranger to the magical world like her Husband and daughters.

Dinner was an enjoyable experience for all with the girls marveling in all the new and clearly wondrous things they were seeing. Michael kept me busy with questions that he clearly had wanted to ask me, about how we could combine mundane and magical healing to help all those patients who mundane medicine or magical healing would not help separately. I finally told him that once things were less dangerous that I would set up a meeting with the Queen and the heads of Healthcare in Britain's Mundane and magic worlds to discuss how we could implement such a program.

With the evening drawing to a close, I left Amelia to see to the Thomas's safe return home while I headed back to St. Mary's to check on Fred and give his new baby sitters their instructions for the night along with the assurance that if they needed me I was all of a summoning call away. Fred, as I had anticipated, was already asleep since the last healing draft I had instructed the departing guards to give him at nine had been laced with a sleeping draft so he would sleep for a good ten hours. But just in case I told the new guards that if Fred did wake before six they were to give him two spoonfuls of the healing draft which would put him back to sleep till eight when I would be back. That all seen to, I headed back home.

As I opened the door I was greeted by a cheerful Hello from Harry and Hermione, I looked over at Sirius who gave me a sheepish grin.

"After you left I was looking at the trunk and found two letters along with this note of instructions, so I called Harry and, he and Hermione came straight along." He handed me the note of instructions that had been attached to the truck from the goblins.

It Read: This truck is to be given to Sirius Black in the event of the deaths of all remaining Potters, but if Harry or any other Potter is alive it is to be given to them upon their maturity and or betrothal, whichever comes first.

"Okay so what do the letters say?"

Harry opened his letter and read it out loud. "Dear Harry, your mother and I are sorry to have left you in the care of your Godparents all this time, something's though could not be helped. As you know Sirius was given instructions in a letter we left with Dumbledore to take you and flee to the Colonies and raise you with the help of your Godmother Cassian in safety until you reach your seventeenth birthday and can legally inherit the mantle of Lord Potter. Till that time you would not be able to open this trunk since the ancient wards on it only allow the Lord of the House to open it in the event that the Lord of the House has not passed it to his Heir as a wedding present. In any case it is now yours. This Harry is an Estate Trunk inside you will find a small manor and about ten acres of land. This is the starter home that All Potter Heirs are given when they wed to live in till they either become Lord or have come into their inheritance and acquire an estate of their own."

The look on both Harry and Sirius's faces were a mix of emotions, clearly they both were not happy about the fact that they had been cheated out of all those years together, and just as clearly they were both confused about why Dumbledore had not given the letter to Sirius after he had escaped from Azkaban, since he was well aware that Sirius was not to blame for Lily's and James's deaths. I though, I was trying to not show it, was livid since I had received a letter from Dumbledore myself right after James and Lily's deaths telling me of their deaths, of Frank and Alice's hospitalization, and of Sirius's imprisonment. That since Alice was Harry's godmother and Sirius his godfather that he had taken it upon himself and placed the boy in a place where he would be safe and hidden from any of the remaining agents of Tommy Boy, and that he felt it was best if I remained in Salem since there was little I could do to assist thing in Britain. That he was letting my Father know that he was of the belief that my coming to Britain would only put me in danger since all Tommy Boy's agents had not yet been brought in.

It was clear that the old man had deliberately worked to keep Harry isolated from the magical world, and that he had been willing to sacrifice the lives and happens of those who would have interfered with that plan.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and tried to compose myself as Sirius wrapped an arm around me. We had done a great deal of talking since his return to the living world and I had told him of the letter and how if it had not been for the letter Dumbledore had sent to my Father, I would have been in Britain tracking down Peter and winning his freedom.

Harry lowered the letter after reading it through a second time and looked at me. "I thought you said Alice Longbottom was my Godmother."

I tried to smile, "Harry, I was lead to believe that she was. Dumbledore had sent me a letter saying as much."

"Why would he have done that?"

I was trying to find a way of telling Harry the whole sordid story without breaking his idolized image of the old man, when Hermione's voice cut through the growing silence.

"Harry, why don't you open the trunk. I read a book that told of trunks like this it said that they were very old and that the magic that had created them had been lost hundreds of years ago with the death of their creator who had only made around a dozen of them."

"How about we first hear Sirius's letter."

He opened the letter he had forgotten he was holding and began to read. "My Dear friend if you are reading this letter then Harry, I and Lily are gone and you are now head of house Potter. Being the head of house this trunk is now yours. It is an estate trunk and can only be opened by the head of house. Before you do so I ask that you take it and yourself and head to Salem to be with Cassy. Once there and safely out of Britain and away from both the Death Eaters and the order then and only then please open the trunk."

Clearly there was more to this than just an inherited family heirloom.

"Well Harry." Sirius folded the letter, "There is only one way to find out what is so important about this trunk."

Hermione squeezed his arm, "Time to open it and find out."

Harry smiled at her and reached for the lock of the trunk, but before he touched it I stopped him

"I know this is going to sound crazy since I told you not to drink the potion till you were going to face Tommy Boy, but there is something nagging at me and it says that you need to drink the potion now."

Harry didn't question my instincts; he just took the small vial out of his pocket, popped the cork and drank it. Then he reached for the lock and we all watched as it fell open at his touch.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

And the Truth Shall Set You Free

The fireplace in the sitting room flared green four times as Amelia, Ginny, Dean, and Susan came through just as the lock on the truck fell open in Harry's hand.

"Oh, so we made it back in time to see the mystery trunk opened," Ginny grinned and rubbed her hands together in a comic jest.

"What, you planning on leaving me and running back to Harry if it's packed with galleons?"

"Oh, heavens no. Harry already has Hermione, besides you're a better snuggler."

Everyone laughed then Harry turned back to the trunk and pressed the latch releases. The top flew open as if it had been hit with a blast of steam and a beam of blinding light hit Harry like a hammer knocking him back a few steps and laying open the scar on his forehead as if it were new. Blood ran down the right side of his face and Hermione ran forward with a hanky she pulled from her pocket.

Just as she reached his side the blood stopped and something else came oozing out. Black as night and thick like tar, but it didn't run down Harry's face as the blood had. No this thing snaked up into the air above his head taking on the shape of the Dark Mark, and out of it came a deafening scream as if it were in agony. Harry and Hermione backed away from it till they hit the trunk and were enveloped in the light coming from it.

It was all happening so fast, yet for me it felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. Sirius placed himself between me and the Mark, taking a hit that would have severely injured if not outright killed anyone else, but as the Mark moved to strike again, Sirius raised his arm as if he had a shield on it and the strike bounced off an invisible surface recoiling as it did.

"Side effect from having come back and joined with my other half. I believe that is a piece of Tommy Boy's soul that latched onto Harry when the old poof tried to kill you, Harry, making you the seventh Horcrux."

Three pops told me that our house elves, Ringer Chime and Dobby had joined the fight taking up protective positions in front of Amelia and the others. Just in time too, since the next strike was in their direction. In unison the elves raised their hands and said "You will not harm the Friends of House Emrys" and a white light forced the soul shard back.

Out of the corner of my eye I could just make out Hermione fumbling in her beaded purse for something as Harry stepped in front of her. "Oh for the…. Accio Sword," she yelled out as she pointed her wand into the purse, then handed Harry a golden hilted sword as the shard turned its attention to the two of them. It moved to strike but Harry was quicker, leaping into the air and bringing the sword down like a guillotine taking the head off the serpent, then he took a second slice through the middle of the thing. Flames leapt from it and there was a concussive blast that knocked us all to the floor, that was all except Harry and Hermione, who were knocked into the trunk, literally.

Sirius helped me to my feet and we both ran over to look into the trunk, trying to see what we could through the blinding light. Nothing, no sign of them at all. "Well?" Sirius looked at me. I turned to Amelia.

"Take care of the house and if I'm not back by seven, call Michael and have him check on Fred." We both stepped into the trunk and with a flash found ourselves standing on a small hill not far from a lovely Manor. We looked for Harry and Hermione but could not see them anywhere.

"It's very possible the beam placed them directly in the Manor, after all Harry is Lord Potter and the place is his."

I nodded in agreement and we headed down the hill to the Manor.

We were greeted as we approached the main door by a very small House elf. "The Lord and Lady of the manor bid you welcome and have asked me to show you in". The little fellow then turned and raised his hand to the doors and they swung open. 'Very nice' was all I thought as we were escorted to a sitting room and asked to wait there while he went to get us some tea and to let the others know we had arrived.

It had taken us about a quarter of an hour to casually walk down the small hill and across the lawn to the manor, marveling at the spring-like weather and beauty of this pocket estate. It didn't take long for the little elf to reappear with a tray of tea and bisques'.

"Would you please tell Lord Harry that his home is impressive and his servants well trained. " Sirius took a cup that was offered him and sipped the tea.

"Young Master Harry is not the Lord of the Manor as of yet, Lord Emrys-Black." The elf set the tea service on the table and turned to leave as Sirius began to try and ask who the Lord of the House was then, but before the elf could respond, Harry burst through the door.

"Sirius, Cassy you're never going to believe this. I don't believe it and …"Harry grabbed Sirius's arm and started pulling him out of the sitting room and down the hall with me following. "This is just so… so…"

Clearly Harry was existed and in shock and he continued to babble on about how the impossible, and how it's like having all his dreams come true. He let go of Sirius's arm just long enough to push open a large set of doors to what I would have guessed was a dining room. Inside, Hermione sat talking to a woman with red hair whose face I could not see, but whose face I did not need to see either. I stood unable to move as I scanned the room and my gaze settled on the figure that has just entered the room from a door that appeared to come from the kitchen, carrying a platter of sandwiches.

Next to me Sirius gasped out one question, "James?" And those in the room all turned to look at where we stood in shock. Harry grabbed Sirius as it was clear his legs had gone to jelly and helped him to a chair at the table. I still couldn't move or speak as my mind was working hard to try and wrap itself around the clearly very alive friends who we all knew had died sixteen plus years back.

Lily came quickly over to me and wrapped me in a hug as tears began to run down my face.

I pushed her back to take a better look at her. Clearly this was Lily and just as clearly she was very alive. The right age, the right looks, the right smile, the right eyes, "How? We all were told you had died that Halloween back in the Hollow so how is it you are here?"

"And why," Sirius added, "didn't you let anyone know you were alive?"

Lily walked me over to a chair next to Sirius. "To start with we had no way of telling anyone. We have been stuck here for the last sixteen years." She shot a glare at James.

"Okay, I'm sorry… again."

"Water under the bridge, James." She looked back at me. "Do you remember those experiments we were doing on creating duplicates of ourselves? " I nodded and she continued. "Well the problem was that without a soul the doppelgangers would quickly die if not kept in a stasis spell." Again I nodded. "Well after we went into hiding I figured out how to set up a link from myself," she looked at James who was smiling at her with pride, "well, ourselves, to the doppel bodies so that if we were to die our souls would transfer into the doppels who had been created with all our memories and knowledge."

She stood and walked over to James who was handing Sirius a cup of tea. "We hid the doppels here in the estate trunk and sealed it so that no-one could open it except for the Head of house recognized by Wizarding Law, i.e. either Harry if he had not been killed and transferred over with us or Sirius, who James had named in his will as the new Head of House if no other Potter was alive to claim it." She looked at Harry who had come over to stand at his mother's side.

"See the problem was that the protection wards on the trunk didn't take into account that Harry was only fifteen months old when he survived us and became Sirius's and your ward. I had believed that Sirius being Harry's Guardian would have been enough to allow him to open the trunk once he and Harry were with you Cassy in the colonies. But no, it had to be the heir, Even though I'm alive, I did die and the Head of House transferred to the next Heir and the way the wards are set up only the Heir not the Guardian can open the trunk." He ruffled Harry's hair, "And unfortunately for Lily and I that meant that we had to wait till Harry either married and became Head of House or turned Seventeen, whichever came first."

Sirius looked up at James and just shook his head. "You're a right git James Potter, you do know that? Even if I had been made HoH, you would have been stuck since I was thrown into Azkaban after your death. No-one believed me that I was not your secret keeper and when I went after Peter, I found him and we got into a fight where I took off his finger with a cutter while trying to take off his wand hand and he hit a gas feed line with a Fiendfyre which blew the entire block to rubble, killing twenty muggles and getting me shipped off without trial to Azkaban labeled as a mad dog killer and Death Eater."

"Dumbledore knew you weren't the secret keeper. Lily and I told him when we gave him the letter telling you to take Harry and flee to Cassy's in the colonies if we were killed and Harry survived. We didn't tell him who was the keeper, but he knew it wasn't you. Didn't he tell them at your trial?"

"There was no trial, James" Sirius repeated." They just hauled me in and shipped me off to Azkaban without even a by your leave. Harry here was then dropped off on Petunia's door step and knew nothing of the wizarding world or how you had actually died till he was eleven." Sirius took Harry's free hand and squeezed it.

Lily's face had gone white at hearing all this. "Harry hadn't gotten around to telling us any of this. Oh Sirius, we are so very sorry, we didn't know that any of this would happen." She turned to look at me, "Cassy why didn't Dumbledore send Harry to you, he knew you were Harry's godmother and that we wanted Harry to be sent to the colonies for his safety."

Once again I was facing the question I had not wanted to deal with, for fear of hurting Harry. I looked over to where he was still standing. "Harry, before I answer this I need you to sit down and to understand that until I compared notes with Sirius and then heard what you read in the letter from your parents I had no idea how much I…" I looked over at Sirius, "How much we had been manipulated and deceived." I then told of the letters Dumbledore had sent to me and to my father. How I had not known till after my Father's death what had been in the letter Dumbledore had sent him.

I had not even told Sirius about the contents of that letter yet, for similar reasons "I found the letter after my father's funeral. It told my Father that he was to keep me from returning to Britain because he had uncovered a plot to have me killed, that Sirius had been Imperiesed into turning on James and Lily and was under orders to kill me as well."

Harry just sat silent trying to absorb the information I had just dropped on him. Lily was just crying and shaking her head while James stood, eyes closed clearly trying to contain his anger.

"Harry I am so sorry. Till I read that letter, I believed that Dumbledore just wanted to keep me from coming to Britain because he really was concerned for my safety. Then I know that he had wanted to keep me from proving Sirius's innocence, and until tonight and you read the letter from your parents I did not know why. I don't understand why he did what he did, but it's clear he had plans of his own and did not want those plans changed by Sirius or I interfering."

"Oh Sweetheart, I am so sorry. How could we have known that our wishes for your care would be so badly shattered? I truly hope it was not a bad life with Petunia."

Harry just cringed, clearly not wanting to tell his parents of the abuses he had suffered while living with the Dursley's. I on the other hand found that my temper was rising at the injustices that one old man had committed against us all, and in particular Harry, in the name of the Greater Good. "Lil when Harry's elves picked up Harry, Hermione and their friend Ron about two months back and delivered them to my care I did a full magical scan on each to see what injuries or physical problems might need fixing since they had been camping out all over Britain for several months. In Harry's case what I found shocked me. The number of old badly healed injuries, broken bones, burns, and other assorted injuries was beyond counting. Your sister, her son and husband had beaten and abused this child so badly that the only thing that kept him alive was his magic."

Lily kept crying and apologized over and over.

"Mom, Mom it's okay it's all over and to be honest just having you here now makes all that seem like a nightmare that has been driven away with the light of day." He continued to hug her tightly as if he were afraid that if he let her go he would find that this was all a beautiful dream.

James wrapped his arms around them both in an act of love and protection. Next to me Hermione was quietly crying, I moved my chair back so Harry could see her and he reached his hand out to her calling her to him and pulling her into the center of the hug. She had sent her parents away to protect them and now had found new ones here in Lily and James.

Sirius had quietly stood and extended a hand to me "Let's leave them to their family reunion." With the way I was feeling I had to agree that it might be best if we just left and let them have some time to become a family and deal with the pain of what they had all learned.

James' head came up at the sound of Sirius's voice. "Where the bloody hell do you think you are going? You're my brother if not by blood then by all else. You and Cassy are part of this family, so don't even think of leaving." He grabbed Sirius's arm and dragged us both down into the group hug.

After a few minutes of comforting embrace, I stood and backed away just far enough to get some air. "I hate to break things up but I at least do have to leave. I have a patient in St. Mary's that I need to check in on." I looked out the window at the dark sky then down at my watch. "If time is constant here and correlates to that outside the trunk it now close to midnight and I need to be at the Hospital around 8am tomorrow. Also Amelia is waiting for our return and I need to at least let her know that everyone is well and that there is nothing to worry about."

James let go of the others and walked me over to the door. "I will let you go reassure Amelia that everything is well only if you promise to come right back. There is so much that we need to talk about and you said you do not need to check on your patient till 8am."

I weakly smiled and nodded. "I promise I will be right back. Now how do I get out?"

"Just apparate to where you want to be. Since you now know where you are you can apparate in and out at will."

I nodded again and gave James a hug, then turned and kissed Sirius who had joined us by the door. Harry and Hermione were still holding Lily while she worked at trying to come to grips with everything she had learned. Without another word, I was gone from the trunk and once again standing in the blast damaged sitting room.

Amelia came running from the kitchen at the sound of my aperating in. "Oh it's you Cass, I was worried that the wards had been damaged and that we had some unwanted guests."

It hadn't even occurred to me that the wards might have been damaged by the blast. I called Ringer to me and had him and Chime do a quick inspection of the wards for damage while I assured Amelia that everyone was fine and that the trunk held a manor and estate and that Harry and the others were busy inspecting the buildings and lands before coming back out.

Ringer returned to let me know that everything was fine and promised me that he and the others would see to the repairs of the sitting room while I was busy elsewhere, clearly he understood more than he was saying and was willing to keep things running smoothly while I headed back to the manor in the trunk.

I told Amelia that I needed to return to the others but that I would be back before I had to head out to St. Mary's. She looked around the blast damaged room and yawned, "See you in the morning." Then turned and headed down the hall to her room. Luckily for me she was too tired to ask me any real questions about the trunk, and with her leaving, I apparated back to the manor.

The others had all sat back down in their chairs and it was clear that even though the night was starting to wear on us all, no-one wanted to leave. The kids had just started to get to know James and Lily and Sirius and I now had to relay all that had happened since our separation from James and Lily. No-one wanted to stop talking and getting to know each other or learn about the world outside and all that had happened in the sixteen plus years. Then in the middle of everything Lily looked at James with shock, "Where is Rose?"

"Like Cassy said it's just past midnight, you put her to bed about four hours ago."

"Who's Rose?" Harry asked.

His parents both smiled and in unison replied, "Your little sister."

"I have a sister." His eyes were like saucers and his smile got even larger.

James ran out of the room and down the hall, to return holding the hand of a young girl about 9 or 10 with long red hair and hazel eyes. She stopped as she came into the room and looked around at everyone, her eyes landing on Harry. "Harry?"

He held his arms open for her.

"I finally have my big brother." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he hugged her to him. She looked over his shoulder at her mother. "Mommy does this mean we can finally see the outside world and that I am going to get to go to Hogwarts after all?"

Lily just nodded.

I looked to her then to Sirius and James. Sirius nodded "I hate to be a wet blanket but it might be best if you stayed in here till we can transport the trunk to Mawr Manor in Wales."

"Till Tommy Boy is dead, you are not safe anywhere but there." Harry agreed with Sirius's assessment and promised his parents that as soon as we all returned to Wales in a day or so he would let them out of the trunk, but asked them to have just that small amount of patience to remain hidden till we could be sure they were safe.

The remainder of the night was spent talking and laughing, eating and making plans, reminiscing and filling in the gaps in time. It was close to five when Lily asked me to go to the kitchen with her to make some more tea. "So it took you having to retrieve him from the other side of the Veil to finally get the two of you married." I just smiled and yawned. "So Cassy, does he know that you are with child?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I have been waiting for the right time. With everything being the way it is I wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to make it passed the first trimester after all I'm barely more than a month Lil and I can't be taken out of action till we finish what we have started." I hadn't heard the door to the kitchen open behind us and I hadn't noticed Lily's eyes looking over my shoulder. What I did notice was the arms that wrapped around me and the hand that came to rest on my still flat belly.

Lily winked at him and took the tea tray and headed out. "I'll let the two of you talk." The door swung closed behind her as I turned in Sirius's embrace to lay my head on his shoulder.

"I love you Cassy and I trust you to know how to protect yourself. and I promise to not be too overprotective of you and our child. Just promise me that if you feel as if something is wrong you will not hide it from me. You may have the title of Merlin, but you know that in truth WE are the Merlin and together we are stronger than we are apart."

I buried my head into his robes breathing deeply in his scent, "I promise to not hide anything from you and to be honest I'm happy to share this blessing and burden with you. Just promise me that you will never leave me again."

"My word is my bond and I made you that promise the day we wed. Besides the Queen will have my Head if anything happens to make you unhappy" One last hug and we headed out to the dining room to be greeted with claps. Clearly Lily had told Harry, Hermione and James. Rose came running over and wrapped her arms around me. "This is the best day EVER, I have my big Brother and a new sister, and an Aunt and Uncle, and now I'm going to have a baby cousin."

I hugged her back then looked down at my watch. "I really do need to head out I need to get a shower and clean clothing and all. "

I looked at Sirius who was holding my hand. He nodded, "We will see you in a day or so depending on if Cassy thinks Fred is up to heading back to Wales." With that we Aperated out.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Home is Where the Heart Is

The next day was uneventful with Fred healing up enough by the morning of the second day, Feb 7th that I had determined that he could finish his healing at home with his family. So he and I said our farewells to new friends and staff and headed back to the Row house to await the arrival of the sleigh that was being flown in by Remus. We had not told anyone of the contents of the trunk, not wanting to let anyone in on the discovery till we were safely home.

The main sitting room was already looking very close to its original state with the house elves doing a great deal of repair work to a singed ceiling and walls and replacing cracked panes of glass in the four front windows. By noon everyone was packed up and ready with all their gear up in the rooftop stable. Hugs were exchanged with Amelia, along with a promise from her to join us at the Manor as time and her job permitted.

Remus arrived around half past the hour and Harry, he and Sirius quickly loaded all the luggage first then helped Fred up into the closed carriage of the sleigh, since his walking was still a bit shaky. Once in the sleigh I gave him a potion to help him sleep for the long ride back to the manor.

The trip took about six hours, since I asked that they not try and set any speed record and take it easy so that Fred would not get jostled around and could sleep most of the way, which he did with his head in my lap for over half the trip. We arrived at the Manor right around dinner time to find a car in the parkway for the Manor; it was Molly and Arthur's.

Molly was anxious to get Fred home where she could see to his care, and even though we extended an invitation for them to join us for dinner they wanted to just get Fred home. Honestly I was secretly glad that they had declined the invite, since it was looking to be an evening of explanations as it was. But I did not let them leave until I took one last look at Fred and gave Molly the healing draft I had made just for him, then I turned to George and pointed to my ear. He took off the knit cap to show me a beautifully formed and fully grown new ear. He bent forward to whisper into my ear.

"Mom still can't believe it and now really wants to take a trip to the U.S, after this war is over to see what other advancements the new world witches have made that we haven't been told of here."

I just smiles and shook my head. "Best you be off and get Fred into a bed."

I headed in to see how the rest of my patients were doing. I had left them in Andy's capable hands while I dealt with Fred and had not received any messages of problems so I was sure all was well, but I still needed to do a Healer's duty. Hagrid was up and about and had been helping Will in the stables, teaching him as well as our other students about the creatures we had in the stable and around on the grounds. Ted had taken it upon himself to start lessons on wizarding law, in my absence, since he too was feeling better than he had in ages. As for Griphook, he had been one of the goblins who had delivered the trunk so I know he was doing fine before we got home and I had seen Dean and knew he was doing fine with Ginny at his side, that just left Ollivander.

He had been moved to a room and from what Andy could tell was doing well, but seemed to be withdrawn and depressed, so I took it upon myself to pull rank and insist he let me in to see how he was. In the room, the draperies were drawn and no lights were lit. With a flick of a finger, I fixed that, opening the drapes wide so I could see my patient. After checking him out, I sat down in a chair facing him and asked him what the problem was.

"What do you mean?" was his only reply.

"Andy tells me that you refuse to come out of your room except for meals. Part of the healing process, Garrick is getting out into the fresh air and socializing."

He gave me an odd look then turned and looked out the window. "I'm not needed here. You have taught the children how to make wands and how to use wandless magic. I have nothing that would be of value to your students or to this household."

"I don't believe that. Yes, Sirius has taught Harry, Hermione and Ron how to make replacement wands for their broken ones and yes we have been teaching our students to use wandless magic, but as you well know that is a very advanced discipline and the younger students or those who just don't have the skill level to learn it still need to use wands and in Lavender and Dennis's cases the wands they have been using are replacements, not made for them, since they both lost their in the battle on the Express. So even though Harry and Ron have learned to make wands for themselves, they do not have your skill and years of training required to make a finely crafted tool such as this." I pulled out my wand, the wand I had purchased when I first came to London with my mother for my eleventh birthday. My father's side of the family had lived in the Americas since before they were the Americas and insisted that we had adequate wand smiths that could supply me with a good first wand, but my mother had been raised in England and was of the belief that there were no better wands than those crafted by Ollivander.

He took the wand and felt its weight, tested its flexibility and listened to its core. "I remember you." A smile came across his face. "This is the only dual core wand I ever made, unicorn blood mixed with phoenix ash in rosewood. The wand of one who would be a healer beyond any we in the wizarding world had seen since the time of the first Merlin."

I stood and took a bow. "Please, don't tell the others that." My badge of office had fallen out of my robes when I bowed and now Ollivander stared at it with his mouth open.

He looked closely at the badge then up into my eyes. "You are the Merlin, or at least part of him."

I sat back down and told him the story of how Sirius and the spirit of the first Merlin were two halves of one soul and how they had joined together once I had brought him back from the other side of the Veil. How I was and am his wife, his Cassian, the healer who had brought the first Merlin back from near death so that he could teach and crown Arthur. He listened intently with his eyes closed then when I was finished, opened them and asked me how it was that he could serve me.

"Just help teach my students to be the best they can be."

He nodded and rose from his chair and offered me his arm.

"For that young child who has proven to be the healer I knew she could become I will do my best, and for the Merlin and Her Mate I will teach you students the true history of magical Britain."

Harry and Sirius had placed the large trunk in the sitting room and then saw to the unloading of the rest of the luggage. So it wasn't until well after the Weasley's had left and Ollivander and I had joined the rest of the family in the dining room that Harry walked over, unlocked it and opened the top. Remus hadn't asked about the trunk until Harry flipped the lid back and the light flooded out. Then came the sound something akin to that of someone apparating, Remus and Nym both pulled out their wands and readied for a fight. Then both dropped them to the floor as the light cleared to reveal James, Lily and Rose. Remus fell back into the chair behind him, Nym just sat with her mouth hanging open and Andy began to cry. Hagrid, who had been standing by the arch leading into the dining room, was now seated on the floor with a room-shaking thud, Ron was the only one to say anything.

He looked from the Potters to Harry, "Bloody Hell Harry, those people look to be your parents and the little girl looks just close enough to be your sis."

"They are my Parents Ron, and this," He walked over to join his family, "and this my sister Rose."

"But Harry how? Your parents are dead."

"I would like to hear an answer as well, if you don't mind." Remus added.

Aunt Viv had just come out from the kitchen. "You really are living up to the prophecies, child." She kissed me on the forehead. I really needed to get some time to sit down and ask her about these prophecies she kept mentioning. But for now there were other things to deal with as Harry began to explain how his parents had just popped back into the world of the living.

So, once again, as dinner was being laid out on the table, Harry, Lily and James went through their tale of how they had been reborn into their clone bodies in the trunk and how due to a mistake in the interpolation of the wards they had been stuck in the estate trunk for the last 16+ years. Once they were finished with their explanation, Remus, who had been skeptical, had visibly relaxed and accepted this James and Lily as the friends he had believed dead all these years. Hagrid had enveloped both Lily and James in a hug and was sobbing like a baby As for the rest, they all just sat and listened without a word, all except Ollivander who was busy examining the trunk.

"You do know that the manor and everything that is in here can be removed and planted wherever the owner wishes?"

We all turned to stare and Harry, James, and Hermione joined Garrick at the trunk.

"You see these runes here on the secondary latches."

"What runes?" Sirius now joined the other at the trunk while Lily and Rose sat at the table.

"What secondary latches. James was looking closely as the spot that Ollivander was indicating.

"Right here. Well, what you do is you take the trunk out to the area you wish to set up the manor and then you rotate the latches." James had started to turn them, Garrick hit his hands away from the latches. "Not here, it would destroy both Manors and most likely kill us all. You first place it in an open field of the proper size, and then rotate the latches to the unlocked positions and apparate out to a safe distance. The trunk will then fold open releasing its contents to the location the Manor is to occupy. Then when you wish to move the estate to a different location you go to the entry gate. It needs to be the Lord of the Manor who does all this, by the way. A built-in safeguard to keep from the residents being stuck as you were in the trunk. Well, you go to the gate and activate the folding spell by placing your hands on the place that is at the center of the gate and wah lah it's all packed back up and ready to be relocated to wherever you wish."

"You mean to tell me that it wasn't my fault that we got stuck in there?"

"No, that was you're doing, James. What I'm saying is Harry is the rightful Lord of the Manor; you relinquished that title to him when your first body was killed so until Harry came of age and opened the first set of latches you would still have been stuck."

Sirius had moved to the front windows of the manor and was smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Harry feel up to giving it a try?" Harry joined him at the window. They were both looking at the large open field on the far side of the parkway.

"Hagrid," Harry said. "Could you carry the truck for me over to the middle of that field?"

"Sure thing, Harry,"

Harry closed the lid, put on his coat and followed Hagrid out into the large field. We all stood outside and watched. Lily was holding James's arm and had her other arm around Rose. Hagrid joined us all back on the parkway as we watched. It was hard to see what Harry was doing but a few seconds after he stood up, he was standing between his father and Sirius.

The air around the trunk shimmered and twisted in waves as the sides of the trunk folded down then there was a large pop and we were all hit by a shockwave and dust. When everything had settled back down there stood a beautiful Manor it Gate just a few yards from our own. There were several out buildings as well that Sirius and I had not seen on our visit inside the trunk. A gate house and stable and paddocks for cows, pigs and sheep, Along with a small chicken coop. and a groundskeeper's hut.

"Well now, that's impressive." Sirius put his arm around my shoulders. "Looks as though we won't need to set up any more guest rooms."

"Looks to me as though Harry and Hermione will not need the gardener's cottage."

We all went back into Mawr Manor and finished our meal. It was decided that come morning we would all head over and check everything out at the new and improved Trunk Manor, after all no-one wanted to be tramping around the grounds in the dark. Lily then pointed out that the Gate house and the Grounds keepers' cottage had not been in the trunk so she wasn't sure what other changes there might be.

Harry just smiled. "There was a small inscription inside the lid that said to make this Manor the home you wish it to be, so I did."

So for the night we had more houseguests, not like anyone besides me was going to be doing much sleeping. Unlike the others, I was exhausted; four days in London with a few hours' sleep each night had taken its toll on me. Lily nudged Sirius when it became clear that I was in need of a comfy bed and before I knew what was happening he had me up in his arms and was carrying me off for the night.

I woke to the sound of people moving about outside my door. When I opened the door, I found Harry and Hermione stacking their things in the sitting room while Ron and Lavender helped to take theirs and Harry's things outside.

Aunt Viv and Andy were busy packing up some food in baskets to take with over so that Lily didn't need to have the house elves cook till the poor things were done moving everyone to their new home.

"What is going on?" I grabbed my heavy cloak and boots and headed out to the front parkway. There I found Hagrid stacking the trunks and other things in the horse cart. Sirius was standing in the parkway talking with James and Remus. "I repeat, what is going on?"

Lily came up behind me, "Seems my son is moving himself and his fiancée into the manor while Ron, his girl and Dean are moving into the Gate house, and Hagrid is moving into the Grounds Keepers cottage." She handed me a cup of tea. "We all went over to the Trunk Manor while you were sleeping and Harry has made some major changes. He added rooms for himself and Hermione as well as a dueling practice room and more quarters for the house elves."

Sirius finally noticed that I was standing there and came over. "I didn't want to wake you, after all that was the first good night's sleep you've gotten in nearly a week. But if you're up to it, we can walk over to Trunk Manor now"

Lily smiled. "Sounds like a good idea to me since I need to get back. Rose is already in the Manor exploring all the changes her brother has made."

I looked about me and saw that the others including my Aunt were already heading over, and wrapped my arm into Sirius's, "Fine we might as well".

Just as we were all about to head over Hagrid spotted us. "Oh, before you head over Cassy, could I speak with you and Sirius? It's rather important."

"Sure, Hagrid." The look on his face was one of concern and hope. "I'll meet you at the manor after I take care of this, Lily." She waved and followed behind the cart as it headed across the parkway and down the road leading to Trunk. "So Hagrid, what is the problem?"

"It's not a problem so to say, rather a favor I wanted to ask. You see my brother Grawp's been living in a cave in the hills, not far from Hogwarts with Fang and myself, and with my moving here now, I was hoping you would let me go retrieve him and bring him here. I found some large caves in the back of your land here and there is more than enough wildlife to keep him fed. "

Harry, Ron and Hermione had told me about Grawp. This was really asking a big favor, but I understood his desire to have his brother where he could keep an eye on him. I looked to Sirius to see how he felt and found that he too was of a sympathetic mind. "Fine Hagrid, you can bring your brother here, but he is your responsibility and if any of ours or Harry's livestock disappears you will have to make good on it." Hagrid looked as if he were going to whoop. "One last thing, how are you going to get him here?"

"Oh don't you worry about that Miss Cassy, I can get him here within a couple of days. Oh, one last thing could you tell Harry that I will be back in a few days?" I agreed and before we had moved an inch Hagrid was gone.

Trunk Manor was truly what Harry had wanted in a home, grand and wondrous on the outside, but useful and homey on the inside. He had divided the manor into sections. There were the public rooms that were large and impressive. There were the private rooms that could be used by the entire family. These included the library, family kitchen and dining room, office, study, training rooms and guest bedrooms. Then there were the private apartments that were arranged like spokes on a wheel around a family sitting room. Finally there were the servant's quarters which Harry had severely upgraded. Adding separate sleeping rooms for each elf, clothing for every elf, and an area where they could socialize away from the family they choose to serve.

Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher were used to this, but Henley, Twinkle, and Donley had to have it explained to them that they were not being dismissed, that they were now free elves and could continue to serve the Potter's if they wished. Clearly they did not understand, after all they and their ancestors had been stuck in the estate trunk their entire lives.

"We serve Harry Potter because he is our friend and a good person and in exchange for our service he gives us a warm bed, soft clothing, and good food." Dobby jumped in with his explanation.

Winky took Twinkle's hand, "Winky was afraid at first, but she now loved Master Harry. You will see he is a kind and loving Master and only does what is best for House Elves. And soft clothing keeps us warm and feels good".

We left the house elves to work thing out among themselves while Harry took us to see the rest of the estate. The Grounds Keepers Hut was, from what Sirius told me, a near duplicate of his hut at Hogwarts. Harry pointed out that it was actually larger with a working loo and shower instead of an outhouse, a large bedroom with its own fireplace and a bed for Fang and a separate kitchen and sitting room.

The stables and paddock had room for about a half a dozen head of cattle, a sty for several pigs, stalls for up to four horses or whatever, and room for a dozen sheep. The chicken coop was separated by a wall from the rest of the stable area and could hold about ten chickens and one rooster. Close by was a small pond for waterfowl and a garden area.

Finally there was the Gate house which had four bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, sitting room, study, and two baths. Lavender was hugging Harry then Ron and thanking them both for such a lovely home. She dragged Ron off to discuss which room was going to be their sons and which for their daughters and all kinds of plans for their lives after the war.

I couldn't help but laugh as we all walked down the drive back to Mawr Manor. The shields and wards that hid Mawr from the town below now hide Trunk as well which was made clear as Molly and Arthur's car came through the mists then stopped short of the parkway. The Weasley's along with the Lovegood's and Ethan all piling out of the car to stand and stare at the sight before them. Harry and Draco both began laughing at the looks on Molly and Arthur's faces, the twins responded with a joint (Wicked), while Ginny and Ethan came running up to take a closer look and ask questions, and Luna and Xeno just seemed to appreciate the symmetry of the two Manor homes.

Remus headed down to the car to explain as best he could while the rest of us headed in to get ready for classes. It had been an interesting morning and was shaping up to be one filled with questions more than lessons.

After everyone had run off to see Trunk Manor I took the opportunity to pull my Aunt to the side and ask her about the prophecy she kept mentioning.

"That, my sweet, I will let you read rather than explaining it all to you." We walked together to the library. Up on a high shelf on the second tier sat a book of black leather and gold lettering. Viv summoned it down to the table in a back corner of the library. "Here you go, sweetie." The fabled Prophesies of the Black Knight and the Emrys Child. The date inside the cover said 1352. I looked up from the book to my Aunt. "You need to read them then you will understand."

I tucked the book into my sleeve and headed out to see to the new class schedule first, figuring I would read it when I had some free time. The rest of the day was spent in explanations, introductions, and lessons. With the addition of Lily, James and Ollivander the class set up changed allowing some of us to drop off some of the class load. Remus would now be overseeing Defensive arts, Sirius would be teaching Runes, James would be teaching Transfiguration, Lily would be in charge of Potions, Cissy would be teaching Herbology, Andy would be teaching Charms, Ollivander would teach History of the magical world, Ted was teaching Magical Law, Arthur covered Ministry policy, Hagrid when he returned would teach Care of Magical Creatures, and I would cover Alchemy and the Healing arts. The kids joked that we had a better staff than Hogwarts.

By the end of that first day I finally got a chance to sit down and pull the book out of my sleeve. Sirius joined me in the large overstuffed chair. "So what that?"

"You know how my Aunt Viv keeps making comments that the prophecies are true?" He nodded. "Well apparently this is the book of prophecies she keeps referring to."

"Well then, let's take a look." He flipped the cover open and began reading out loud the introduction to the book.

"In the year of our lord 1352 the seer Ygrain Eleen Emrys made a SERIES of prophecies that have been compiled in this book. They are known as the TALES of the Black Knight and the Emrys Child."

In total there were twelve prophecies all started the same with the lines (The Black Knight and the Emrys Child, Phoenix Reborn and Phoenix Chosen) they would then go into the prophetic verse. The first had to do with the Man known as the child who would stand against the dark and with the aid of the BK and EC would drive the dark to ground and with his light destroy the dark. Freeing the world from it tyranny. The second said that the BK and the EC would join and the Merlin and his Cassian would be reborn in them and through their union would be born the new line of the Merlins to lead the Wizarding world into a new Age of Enlightenment. The third was the one that really clinched it for us both. It said that the BK and the EC would be forced apart by Father and Fate, their love then torn asunder. His fate led to death and hers to the seat. But she being a child of Will and Healing would not let Death take him and that with the aid of the Man Beast and the Man known as the Child she would pull him back through the Veil to join as one and help bring peace to the land.

Sirius closed the book after the third and hugged me close. "Nice to know that we will win this war."

I just laid my head on his shoulder to let it all sink in. "Well, apparently we are going to have more than one child. "

"Yes apparently, you know what Cass I think that maybe we should finish reading these after we have saved the world. What do you think?"

I nodded and flicked my hand sending the book back to its place in the library. "I know that there are others who would love to know their fate, but honestly I have always believed in making my own fate and that putting too much faith into prophesy can lead you to being overly confident which then leads you to make foolish mistakes."

Sirius hugged me tight and with the book and its contents now out of sight we turned back to other matters that were more down to earth and important to our everyday lives.

More than just the class changes were made in the days after Trunk Manor's relocation to the field across the parkway. Harry had decided that since his parents were still alive and since he was now head of House Potter that being head of House Black as well… just did not seem right and with Ted's help he relinquished the title back to Sirius. Kreacher though asked if he could remain with House Potter since for the first time since Master Regulus's death he had friends. Sirius for the first time showed affection to the little fellow and gave him a scarf and a pat on the head telling him to go where he wished with the blessing of House Black.

The other changes that were made due to the adding of Trunk Manor and its added out buildings were that the two cottages that my elves had rebuilt, the Gardeners and the Gamekeepers were now without residents, this though would not be for long. I really didn't mind the house guests but with the open cottages well it just made sense to put them to use. At dinner a couple nights after Harry and the others had moved over to Trunk, Remus asked if I could see my way to letting Andy and Ted move into the Gamekeeper's Cottage since it was close to the Gate House and since they would soon be needing to turn either his study or Andy and Ted's room into a nursery. As for the Gardener's Cottage, since it was close to the manor and had two large bedrooms I offered it to Cissy and Draco. With Malfoy Manor gone and most of their assets seized by the goblins till it could be worked out on what would be paid in compensation to the victims of Lucius's crimes, it only made sense, after all with Sirius once again Head of House Black he needed to see to the welfare of his cousins. So with that all settled we were left with Aunt Viv, Ollivander and Susan as our remaining guests in the main house.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A Call from the Past

February had given way to March with no news from London of any movements by Tommy Boy or his agents. So when an owl that was unknown to any of our little group made it through the wards and the mist shields around Mawr Manor everyone was concerned. Attached to the owl's leg was a candy wrapper which to anyone else would have meant nothing, but to Lily and I it was a clear call for help.

Back when we were all living in the row house in London and working at St. Mungo's whenever Alice needed to talk privately she would leave a candy wrapper where either Lily or I would find it. And now all these years later, though it made no logical sense how she would have known I was even in Britain, she had done the one thing that would get my attention, this little candy wrapper was a call for help from Alice and I had to answer.

A quick call to Amelia and we were off. Lily and I first used the Floo to the Row house where Amelia had arranged to have a Hospital lorry waiting for us, clearly she was anticipating that we might need more than just a car, because the interior was parked with every possible item needed in an emergence lorry and with it we headed off to St. Mungo's. Amelia was not there when we arrived, otherwise we would have had to explain things and we just didn't have the time. It was already close to midnight and normally visitors would not be let into St. Mungo's this late, but Amelia had an insider meet us at the door and we were quickly escorted up to the long term care ward. Frank sat on the edge of Alice's bed patting her hand as she rocked back and forth.

The orderly left telling us if we needed him to just ring the bell, we thanked him and waited for him to leave before dropping the hoods of our cloaks. As soon as we did Alice's whole demeanor changed. She grabbed Frank's hand and dragged him over to where we stood.

"Neville." Her eyes were filled with tears and pain was on her face. Clearly just trying to form a coherent sentence was straining her. I took her hand in mine and stroked it gently while Lily kept Frank under control.

Then she did something that only we three knew she could. Back when we first started working together we all learned to hand talk, a form of sign language done in the palm of the hand, it had been a way for us to talk without having others overhear us. Slowly she spelled out (Neville is here, badly hurt.)

I looked up at Lily and then pulled up my hood. She followed my lead then got travelling cloaks for Frank and Alice. "We can't leave them here; they will never get any better here."

I nodded in agreement the called the orderly, "One is there a Neville Longbottom here?" He nodded. "Two take us to him, we will be taking him and his parents with us."

"But Ma'am only a licensed healer can do that."

I pulled my license out of my pocket. "Now show us to the boy."

One floor down, in a private room, was Neville and another young man whose name I had heard from Harry, Ron, and Dean. Seamus Finnigan. "How is it these two boys are here and not in the infirmary in Hogwarts?"

"Madam Pomfrey asked that they be treated here since they needed long term healing and she had no room at the school."

"Are these the only students?"

"No Ma'am, we also have a young lady, a Hannah Abbot."

"Fine get her as well, we will be taking them all out."

He helped us get everyone down and into the lorry where Lily administered the rapid healing potions to each. "Take this." I handed him my calling card along with one to give to Madam Pomfrey. "If you tap it I will know and I will answer. But you are to only use it if you get in more students or are in dire need."

He took it then backed away from the lorry.

It took us most of the night to drive back to Wales and to Mawr Manor arriving around seven in the morning. Clearly, Sirius had been up all night waiting for us to return. He and James came running out as we pulled into the parkway. The healing potions had done a great deal of good, making the long drive bearable for our new patients.

Then from across the lane came Ron and Harry. I got out and yelled, "We could use some help here."

Lily had Neville, Seamus, and Hanna all on stretchers in the back, while I had Frank and Alice sat in the front with me. I needed to remember to thank Amelia for getting us and an emergence lorry; clearly she knew Lily and I too well and had anticipated that we would be taking patients with us.

James and Sirius took the first stretcher with Hanna who was sleeping peacefully. Alice and Frank followed them into the manor. Then Ron and Lily took the second with Seamus on it, and finally Harry and Remus, who had come running when he saw us unloading the stretcher, took the last with Neville who was just waking up. "Professor Lupin?" He started to try and sit up and then saw Harry at his feet. "And Harry Potter."

"Lay back down Neville or you may hurt yourself by falling off the gurney." Harry smiled and patted Neville's foot.

"I must be hallucinating, that's it they gave me medicine that is making me see things"

Once we had them all in the infirmary I finally had a chance to do full medical scans. Hanna had a compounded skull fracture along with swelling in her brain, the healing potions she had been given at St. Mungo's would have taken months to heal the damage and may well have left her with permanent damage. I told Lily to add some turmeric to the healing position as well as some tea tree oil this would reduce the swelling in her brain and the pressure, allowing the bones to come together and knit.

Next was Seamus, a torn liver, bruised kidneys and a fractured pelvis. Again I gave Lily the adjustment to the healing potions to help repair the damage. Finally Neville, his injuries were not nearly as bad, but clearly he had been the Carrows whipping boy. There were signs of recently healed injuries of all kinds. No need to adjust the rapid heal for him, he just needed a few days under mine and Lily's care and he would be better than he had been in years.

That then gave me a chance to look over Alice and Frank. The hours of torture with the crucio curse had left them both with extensive nerve damage and minor brain damage. This was going to take one of my specialty healing drafts. I asked Lily if she would mind seeing to the administration of the healing potions while I went to work on what was needed to help Alice and Frank.

"You can help my Mom and Dad."

"Yes Neville, I can help your Mom and Dad. But I need to do one more test just to be sure." So while the potion to fix the neurological damage was brewing I needed to get my carpet bag and have the boys remove the one tool I hadn't. The reason I hadn't was its weight and size.

I had Sirius retrieve the bag and sent James to retrieve Hagrid. Meanwhile the rest of our students had arrived to start their classes and were now in the infirmary talking with Neville. Once Hagrid arrived it was just too many people and the crowd was making it hard to keep Frank and Alice calm. Lily took charge of the situation and ushered the kids out while I instructed Hagrid on how and what he was removing from the bag. He was skeptical at first when he saw the bag then I opened it and he realized that it was the largest mokeskin bag he had ever seen. As he worked at removing a magical device from the bag with a little help from Remus and Sirius, I explained what it was and why I needed it.

It was over eight foot high and had many lenses, dials and switches as well as a seat for the person to be examined to sit on and one for the examiner, one of my mundane born students back in Salem had commented that it looked like some kind of Steampunk device. "This is a spectral imager; it's not unlike the MRI that I needed to use to see the extent of Fred's injuries. This, though, shows me the extent of magical injuries to a patient. See everyone is made up of different energies, physical, emotional, mental, sexual, psychic, spiritual, and magical. Normally these energies all overlay each other and when we die they then dissipate into the ether with only the spiritual energy passing on to the other side where it then may choose to be reincarnated. But in cases where the patient has suffered extreme magical trauma these energies can be pushed out of alignment, disrupted, or even one or more be dissipated leaving holes or gaps in the patient's aura. This device lets me see all those energies as different colors and see any holes or disruptions in the fields."

"So then if there is a problem with my parents' energy fields can you fix them?"

"In short Neville, yes, but it is going to take a bit of work and I will need some help from several people. For now though let's just see what we have here and then I can figure out what needs to be done."

I first sat Frank in the chair and adjusted all the dials and lenses then flipped the switches. Behind me I could hear all the kids had come back and were watching. "Got it. " I called Lily over to look through the vowing lens. "The lavender is magic, blue is physical, green is emotional, yellow is mental, orange is sexual, red is psychic, and the white is spiritual. You see how they all overlap pretty well except for the magic and the spiritual."

Lily looked up from the lens. "The lavender is way to the right and the white is almost not touching the others at all."

"If I am right, Alice's is going to look about the same."

"So what does that mean?" Neville asked, trying once again to get up.

Remus laid him back down while Lily helped Alice over to the observation chair. I once again adjusted everything then flipped the switches and there it was, magic off to the left and spirit barely linked to the body at all.

"What I suspect, it means is this: when Bella was torturing your parents you were crying. Your cries are what kept them from dying. Their magical core had nearly depleted when Bella and her crew stopped and left. That is why the magic energy is off to the left, the spirit though only just remained because of you Neville. Your parents love and need to take care of you kept their spirits linked to their bodies, but just barely."

Sirius had moved over to my work bench and retrieved two bottles of the spirit bind potion.

"Good call, but first I need to fix the nerve damage or the pain will just drive their spirits back out. They are still in a great deal of pain; it's as if the crucio has never stopped. What Bella did put the nerves in a permanent state of trauma and their brains have now turned off the center that detects that pain. So once I give them the potion to repair the damage I am going to have to put them both in full body binds and silence them so they don't scream their lungs out."

Neville looked horrified. "You mean it will hurt them to heal them?"

"Unfortunately yes. You see Neville, once the damage to their brains is fixed they will then feel the pain of the nerve damage. That was why St. Mungo's couldn't help them. They knew that if they fixed the damage it would kill them."

"So you're going to make them have to go through all that pain which will then kill them?" Clearly Neville was getting distressed.

"Again unfortunately yes, but and this is the BIG BUT, I have the potion to bring them back, just like I did with Lavender, Colin, and with Fred."

Neville finally noted who all was standing in the room and his eyes went wide as he first saw Colin and then Lavender. Then he saw Sirius "You brought Sirius Black from the other side of the Veil. I was there I saw him fall through. Harry are those your parents?"

"Yes Neville, but Cassy didn't bring them back and that's actually a very long story that I will tell you once you are healed up."

"Now Neville, I am going to ask Lily to have you moved over to Harry's guest rooms until I have your parents all healed up because I do not need you being put through any more distress."

"Please, I promise I will not interfere, I just want to be here for them. They need me."

I shook my head. "You need calm to heal yourself and you will not get that if you're here so," I walked over and tapped him on the forehead putting him fast asleep. "Now Harry, if you and Ron wouldn't mind." They both used their wands and levitated Neville's now sleeping form up and out of the room. I then asked the others to all leave with the exceptions of Lily, and Sirius.

"I need you to do a runic circle around the beds I'm going to put Frank and Alice into, to recharge and realign their magical cores. " Sirius nodded and started straight to work on the circle around the two beds I had indicated. "Lily, I need you to get them into bed and place them under the body binds and then once I feed them the potion, do the silence spell. This stuff is going to work faster than the stuff St Mungo's would have used."

She just smiled and helped Frank and Alice over to the beds and saw to their comfort. I then went back to the potions I had been brewing that were just finishing up. It was going to be a bitch of a day but by nightfall it would all be over and we would have Frank and Alice back and right as rain.

The healing went as I had anticipated with both Frank and Alice dying by late evening. Lily removed the silence spells and the body binds and I then force feed them the spirit recall potions and we waited. It took longer than I was comfortable with but within about ten minutes they were back and after some tests to make sure all the damage was healed I tapped each on the forehead putting them into a peaceful sleep.

The rapid healing potions had worked amazingly well on Neville and he had come over after I told Harry that the worse was over, to sit at his parents bedsides.

Seamus was now moving with less pain in his bed and had even sat up long enough to take down some broth. Hanna was healing but Lily and I thought it best to keep her out till the swelling was completely gone in another couple days.

Sirius came in a little after midnight with some tea and Andy and forced me off to bed, leaving Andy to watch over all our patients.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Friends, Family, Fiction, and Fact

It took two days of sleep before Frank and Alice were awake more than a few minutes at a time, And another week before I was ready to let them out of the infirmary to interact with more than just Lily, myself and Neville. They had been through so much yet so little in the last sixteen years. Even with my skill as a healer, I could not heal away sixteen years of being locked away from friends and family, sixteen years of no real treatment other than just being kept alive, that was going to take them being slowly introduced back into the world.

Meanwhile, I still needed to oversee my other two patients. Seamus was ready to get back to classwork and his long lost friends rather quickly. The potions had healed all the damage in just a few days and he moved into the Gate house with Ron, Lavender, and Dean. Clearly the boys wanted to be together to have some feel of normality and being together all in one house was what gave them that. Neville had managed to settle into Trunk Manor with Harry and Hermione and Harry even had a suite set up for Frank and Alice in the same hall as Neville, so he could be close to his parents once I released them. That then left Hanna. It had taken about three days before the swelling was gone completely and she was sitting up and interacting with Susan who had been at her side from the time she had learned Hanna was here.

It had come out in conversations that the Carrows had turned the students of Hogwarts into their way of keeping their parents under Tommy Boy's control. Student whose families were known to oppose Tommy Boy's rule were readily beaten, as were any Gryffindor students and any half blood or mundane born. And HM Snape was doing nothing to protect the students from the Carrow's sadistic tortures. That under him supervision there was little any of the remaining old staff could do to protect the students for fear that they would disappear as others already had.

All this information had put Harry in particular into a black mood and if it hadn't been for Lily, James and Rose he might well have gone running off to confront Tommy Boy without any help or preparation. To add to Harry's mood was all the information that had come out about Dumbledore, all the manipulation, the lies, the secrets, and fabrications, the using people as if they were nothing more than chess pieces on his game board. It had all added to Harry's increasingly depressed mood.

So much had come to light that would have clearly toppled Dumbledore from the lofty perch he had managed to put himself on that it was decided that we, the remaining core original group, along with Harry and Hermione would keep what we had learned to ourselves. After all what purpose would it now serve, but to destroy those who had put so much of themselves into blindly following of the man?

Hagrid, Molly, Professor McGonagall, and so many others had come to believe that Dumbledore was the image he had created, and it was that image that he used to create Harry into the tool of his choosing to bring about Tommy Boy's destruction.

For Harry though, learning all he had, had left him not sure what to do next. He could just walk away and let the world burn or he could continue on the path he had been forged to do. Until then though what he found himself doing was walking by himself through the back acres of the estate.

Hermione had become increasingly worried over Harry's self-imposed isolation finally coming to me earley in March to ask if I could talk to him. I first talked with Sirius and Remus to see if Harry had come to either of them to talk and found that he had not. Lily and James had not really noticed anything different, since they were just really getting to know their son and were not aware that his walking off alone was any different from his normal behavior. Add to that the fact that when I did talk to Lily she told me that every time she had tried to ask Harry if everything was okay he would just smile and hug her and tell her that it was now that he had his family back. Thus it was left to me to find and talk to Harry.

I found him sitting on a rock by the small lake in the back acreage of the estate. At first the look he shoot me made me think that maybe this wasn't a good idea, but then his face softened and he moved over to give me room to sit next to him.

"I'm gathering that Mione sent you to find me." I nodded, "Yeah I know she is worried about me, she keeps telling me that I need to talk."

"She is right, but if you would just like to sit and watch the ice melt that's fine, too."

We sat in silence for nearly an hour, with me periodically casting a warming charm on the rock to keep us warm. I'm not sure quite when it happened but after a while I noticed that Harry's head was on my shoulder and he was quietly crying. I gently pulled my cloak out from behind me and wrapped it around him as my own tears began to fall. "It really hurts when someone you have loved and admired turns out to be someone other than you thought they were. I'm sorry if I let you down Harry, I just couldn't keep quiet any longer."

He lifted his head and looked at me as if I had said something odd. "Cassy, you didn't let me down and neither did Sirius. In fact you two were the first who ever told me the truth. Everyone else hid things from me because Dumbledore told them to, even Hermione and Remus. Well and Ron, but Ron can be a git, so I can forgive him that. They all did what he told them to because he had them all believing it was for my own good and never once did any off them think that he might be wrong. Heck Cassy, I never questioned him, I just went along with everything on the belief that he know best."

"And now?" I hugged him and wiped away the tears running down his face.

"Now I know what I am expected to do, but honestly I don't really want to. Cassy, I have a life, a family, a home a reason to live, everything that Dumbledore tried so hard to keep me from having. The funny thing is I now understand why. How can you expect someone to just walk into their own death even if they know it's the only way to save hundreds, or thousands if they have a life to live, a reason to want to live?"

"You don't, you look for a different way to get the job done. And that Harry is what we are going to do. The Horcrux has already been removed from you, so that part of the prophecy has already been negated. Now we just have to find a way to allow you to kill Tom without him killing you."

He gave me another one of those looks, "And how do we do that?"

"Good question and I think I might have part of an answer, just not all of it yet. But I promise you, Harry, that with the group we have here and the library I am sure that we will find a way." I hugged him again then gave him a smile and a wink and for the first time in nearly a month I saw him smile, not an 'I'll smile just to please you smile', but a real smile. I then stood and extended to him my hand and we walked back to the Manor together.

"Remind me Cassy to give Hermione a big hug," I smiled and nodded, then he said something that at the time didn't make much scents and wouldn't for another week. "Though if her Valentines present every gets here I expect I will be getting from her more than hugs."

I found out later that week that before my Aunt Viv had left Harry and Sirius had talked her into taking a side trip to Australia to find Hermione's Parents. The whole reason Mione had obviated her Parents and sent them off to Australia as Wendell and Monica Wilkins in the first place was to keep them safe from the Death Eaters and Tommy Boy and to spare them the pain of losing her if she had been killed while she, Harry and Ron were out trying to save Britain. That it had been Hermione's plan to go to Australia after thing were safe and restore her parent's memories. Harry figured that since we were all safe here in Brynmawr that the best present he could give her would be to have their memories of who they really were restored and have them brought here.

It had taken Aunt Viv a bit longer than Harry had hoped to find the Grainger's but about the end of the second week of March a taxi pulled up in the parkway and Aunt Viv got out with two people I did not know but recognized from a picture Hermione had shown me. Viv quickly explained to me about Harry's little scheme and then introduced me to Dan and Emma Grainger. Harry and Hermione were in class as were all the kids so I called Dobby over and sent him to retrieve Harry. Viv had already restored Dan and Emma's memories and explained to them about the Harry, Ron, and Hermione love potion fiasco so they were very much aware that Harry and Hermione were now betrothed.

Behind me a pop told me that Dobby had returned with Harry. He first looked at me then Viv then Dan and Emma. "Sorry I didn't tell you Cassy, Sirius and I thought you had enough on your plate when we asked Aunt Viv to help." I just Smiled and nodded. "Auntie Viv you are the most wonderful Aunt ever thanks you so much." Harry then Hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. He then went to stand inform of the Graingers. "Mr. and Mrs. Grainger I know that Aunt Viv has told you everything and that you really want to see Mione, but I need to ask you something first."

They both smiled and Emma pulled Harry into a big hug. "Ask away Harry."

Harry backed up just a bit and took on a rather formal demeanor. "I was hoping to do this a month ago, but something can't be helped. Mr. and Mrs. Grainger I am asking for your permission and blessing to marry your Daughter."

Dan took on a rather somber look then broke into a large grin and they both hugged Harry once more. "Harry we would be honored to have you as a son-in-law."

With that Harry nodded to Dobby who popped out and then returned with Sirius leading a blindfolded Hermione. The second they saw her, her parents enveloped her in a hug, not waiting for her to remove the blindfold. Hermione began to shake and slowly pulled down to cloth from her eyes. Tiers were running down her cheeks as well as both her parents faces. She then turned in their embrace and looked at Harry who was grinning with pride. "Harry what have you done?"

"Hermione what safer place in the world is there then here," slowly the realization of what he just said hit her and she relaxed. "Besides Mione, "Harry dropped to one knee and behind me I heard Lily and James join us in the parkway. "I needed your Parents blessing before I could do this." He pulled a small box out of his pocket. Others were filling out to witness what was taking place and Sirius wrapped his arms around me since I too was now crying. "Hermione would you do me the honor of becoming my wife." He held the now open box out to her. Everyone held their breath waiting for her answer but none more nerves than Harry.

"Slowly with her Father's help Hermione lowered to kneel in front of Harry. "Of course I will, like I told you at New Year's I have been in love with you since our first year at Hogwarts. So Harry Potter the answer is yes.

They both stood and in front of Family and Friends Harry slipped a lovely diamond and emerald ring onto Hermione's figure.

We canceled the rest of classes for the day since no-one was much in a studious state of mind. Lily and I headed over to Trunk Manor and within a short time with the help of ten very cheerful house elves we had the grand dining room decorated for and engagement party.

Everything was going off wonderfully and everyone save one seemed thrilled and overjoyed with Harry and Hermione's engagement. I noticed Molly in a corner of the room with a bit of a sour look that seemed to get worse every time she saw Dean and Ginny, Ron and Lavender, or Harry and Hermione being affectionate. It wasn't a new look, she had it on her face every time I spotted her over the last month or two seeing the couples together. It was clear that she had hoped that somehow her plan would happen even without her feeding them all the love potions.

Sirius joined me with a nice goblet of wine, "She looks as if someone stuffed a cat up her…"

I cut him off before he could finish the sentence. "She was hoping that she was right and that I was wrong. That love potions only enhanced what was already there and that the kids would go back to being the couples she had chosen. I think because she doesn't want to think about the possibility that she trapped Author into marrying her and that he only stayed after she stopped feeding him the potions because that already had two boys."

Sirius just shook his head and we both chose to turn our attention elsewhere. Aunt Viv was busy dancing with Ollivander and having the best time I had ever seen her have. After the third dance they exited the floor for a rest and Viv joined Sirius and I at a small table on the left side of the dance floor.

"Well now that was quite invigorating." She took the cup of punch that Garrick brought over for her.

"So Auntie how is it that you are able to take so much time away from your duties at the academe?"

"Oh well now that is a bit of a story, you see after you left as my assistant I hired in a very distant relative, A Gregory Blackhorse who had been teaching at the satellite school on the west coast. He is a very skilled and proved himself to be the right person to take over the job of Headmaster. You see dear you are not the only member of our family who wished to return to England."

The look on my face was to say the least clear. "You mean to tell me that you have stepped down from your post as HM."

She smiled and took Garrick's hand. "Honestly yes. You see dear with your Father and brother all gone and you here it hit me. Just because the Emrys line had founded the school doesn't mean we are the only ones who can run it. Besides you are not the only one to have had a long lost love." She once again squeezed Garrick's hand. "Back in the fifties not long after the war I had come over on holiday and met a young and very handsome wand maker. We had a torrid little romance, I was seventeen and just out of the academy he was twenty-five and had just taken over his father's shop. We both know that it was not meant to be but we fell in love anyway. I begged my father to let me out of the obligation of becoming head of the school but like your father he would not hear of it. So like you and Sirius we parted hoping but not truly believing that someday we could rekindle our love. It wasn't until you had talked this old fool out of his isolation that he and I realized who the other was."

Garrick kissed Viv on the cheek, he looked much younger than he had only hours earlier and he noticed how I was looking at him and laughed. "I know Cassy I now look more like my true age. You see we Ollivander realized very early on that witches and wizard are more likely to trust a wand maker who looks like a sage then one who looks like the kid you just went to school with. So we take on the look of a sage when we take on the job of running the store. You see I just celebrated my Seventieth birthday not too old for a wizard, after all seventy is our middle age."

Sirius pulled me out of my chair laughing onto the dance floor, leave my Aunt and her boo to enjoy their time together.

It was early in the third week of March when word came up from the village that a group of ragged looking young witches and wizards showed up at Ethan's Grandmother's shop, inquiring about me, referring to me as the brilliant witch who had been the leader of the defenders of Diagon Alley. I was getting ready to head down to meet with the group when Fred and George ask if they could join me. I didn't see any problem with them accompanying me and to be honest was happy to have them with me in the carriage.

They told me on the trip that Bill and Fleur would moving to the village in a couple of days leaving shell cottage to Percy and his wife and daughter since they had to go into hiding. They had been living with Bill and Fleur since the wedding and honestly Bill had reached the end of his patients with Percy.

All I could think was that it was a good thing that the new Weasley house was so large inside. This would prove to be truly ironic in about two minutes. I tied the carriage and horses to the bike rack in front of Madam Bexley's shop. The twins made sure that the brakes on the carriage were set so even if the horses got spooked the carriage was going nowhere. Meanwhile I headed into the shop to meet with our newcomers. Madam Bexley had just turned to talk with me when the twins walked in and things got a bit out of hand.

"By Merlin's beard, Fred, George what are you doing here." The comment came from a young black man with dreads. Then to lovely young women bounded right past me and enveloped the twins in hugs and started crying. The last three members of the group had just started laughing. Then the young man who looked to be the oldest of the group walked over to me and extended his hand.

"I am Oliver Wood, if you have been around the twins much they may have mentioned me."

I took his hand. "Indeed they have. So how is it that the group of you came to our little village?"

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," said the young man with the dreads, "We were running the wizarding wireless till very recently when our location was discovered. He told us to head here that the person who had headed the defensive team that saved the Alley lived around here and that the village was under her protection."

"He was right to send you here, and honestly I know that you are all sympathetic to Harry Potter and the resistance since only those that side with the resistance can pass through the shield and wards around this village and the hill top beyond."

Another young man with sandy hair came forward and extended his hand. "I am Terence Higgs these others are Katie Bell, and Lee Jordan, and the two mugging the twins are Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. We have been traveling by night and hiding by day for nearly a month. I am hoping by the way everyone seems to defer to you that you are the person Kinsley sent us to find."

"I am and may I say that none of your names is unknown to me." Terence was the only one who seems to be taken aback by my statement. I gathered the other all figured the twins had spoken of them. "I am Cassian Emrys Black, Dame Merlonius."

Most of the group didn't understand the title I had just told them, Terence though did and dropped to one knee in front of me. He shot the others all a look that told them to show honor where it was do. "Get down you fools you are standing in the presence of the Merlin."

"He's right" said Fred.

"And if it weren't for her Fred here would no longer be with us. He had a wall fall on him during the battle in the Alley."

I reached my hand out to Terence and told him to get up. "Honestly I would prefer that you not do that. Now there is a nice carriage tied up outside. If you would all get into it we can head up to somewhere a bit more private." I nodded to Madam Bexley and thanked her for sending word about the group's arrival.

Up at the manor Will greeted us and took the horses and carriage off to the stable. "This is Mawr Manor, my home and as of late the new school for wayward Hogwarts students."

"Well now I understand why these two are here, "commented Angelina, "At least they can now finish their Newts." She hugged Fred. "You are going to have to tell me about this wall incident that Georgey mentioned."

The others were all looking around and talking among themselves when Lee asked, "So if this Fine Manor is yours, who owns that one?"

From behind me came the answer,"Oh that would be mine. "Said Harry

"Ours" added Hermione.

The majority of our student body was filing out around the northern corner of the manor from the direction of the stables. "Sorry about that Cassy, but when Will told us of the new arrivals well Draco here felt it would be only proper to come over and greet them." Hagrid was holding the Zeus's rains . Clearly they had all been out having their CoMC class.

There was a great deal of hugging and questions, but the one I needed to answer was the one that had stopped the merriment. Katie just stood staring at Draco.

"Draco has renounced his old ways and has joined those fighting agents Tommy Boy and the Death Eaters." I called him over to me and pulled up his sleeve to show all that the dark mark was gone.

"I'm not sure what all I can do to make up for what I did to you Miss Bell, but I promise to try. I will not make light or any excuses for what I did before I learned just how wrong I was."

Terence came forward and grabbed Draco's arm turning it and examining it. "How did you get the mark removed?"

"Oh I cut his arm off, from the shoulder down." Harry answered.

"But limps that are spelled off can't be regrown, everyone knows that." Now Lee and Wood had come over to look at Draco's arm. I could tell that he was getting a bit uncomfortable with this so I stepped in.

"Everyone is wrong Mr. Jordan. First thing you will learn here is that not everything you have been taught is correct. And under the right conditions even death doesn't have to be permeant."

Sirius had come out off the front down with Remus and was standing behind me.

Alicia hand had gone to her mouth. "Oh my… Harry you told us that Sirius had fallen through the death arch and professor Lupin, but he is a." once again her voice trailed off.

"Yes he did and Cassy here brought him back and as for Remus, Cassy has curried him." This time it was Ron cutting in with the answers.

Now our new friends were all looking at Me and once again Terence had dropped to one knee. "I told you She is the Merlin." This time the others all followed suit and I decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Alright since you are all now ready I would ask you if knowing now who I am and some of what I can do, and that I have sworn myself to helping Harry defeat He who shall not be Names and his Followers will you willingly join us? Before I could say anything else they all answered at once. "WE WILL." "Then I would have and oath from you," Neville started to say something about not having taken any oath. "Well then if you want to you can take it now." Neville, Dean, Seamus, Hanna, and Susann all knelt down with the others. "If we are ready now," The Twins then knelt down on either side of me. "Repeat after me. I swear my loyalty to Harry Potter and his cause. I will do all that I can aid him in his fight. I promise to keep this location secret and to not betray the trust that is placed in me this day by Him and by the Merlin, and if I do break that trust by an act of betrayal I understand that my life is forfeit. " Draco looked the most satisfied since the oath I had just given the others was very similar to the one he and Cissy had taken. "You may now rise."

Harry was smiling and Sirius had wrapped his arms around me. "Feeling you power Love."

"No, but with as large as this little army is getting I felt that something formal needed to be done, if not for their mindset, but for our protection."

"Good thinking,"

Remus had now taken control of the situation and was working out with the help of the Twins and Author who had come out during the oath who was going to live where. It was decided that Lee, Alicia, and Angelina would all be living with the Weasley's. That Katie and Oliver would be living at Trunk manor with Harry and that Terence would be at Mawr with Sirius and I, and that they would be starting classes in WLWL in the morning.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The Best Defense IS

It was now the beginning of April and I had spent every spare minute looking for an answer. I knew that the shields and wards had worked to keep the AK from killing those behind it, but the shields were stationary and we needed something mobile. The answer came to me while I was sitting in on one of Ollivander's History of the Magical World classes. He was discussing the elf,-wizard war that had resulted in the enslavement of the elves.

Hermione as usual hit on a key point. "How is it that if the house elves have such powerful innate magical ability that the wizards won?"

"Good question Hermione. The history states that the wizard had an armor that kept the elven magic from affecting them."

"So why is it that by the time of the goblin wars they don't have it?"

Before Ollivander could finish answering I was out of the room and heading to Merlin's private study. The oldest and rarest scrolls were to be found there and I know that if there was anything on this fabled armor it would be there if it were anywhere. It took me two days of searching but then I found what I knew had to be it. The problem was that it was extremely complicated to make and was going to take nine witches working in unison to create it. I ran off to find Harry to tell him that I had it.

I found him near the pasture watching Aunt Viv running the old quidditch team through battle tactics. I told him of what I had found and what it was going to take. Then I added the one part that I believed would truly make him invincible. That was to have Sirius find a way to make the rune wards mobile as well.

Harry smiled and answered that part. "Cassy, you already have, you had Sirius place the cloaking runes directly on our skin. We just do the same with the rune ward circle."

"I guess if you don't mind having your entire body covered in runes it will work, but I thought we wanted to be able to keep Tom from knowing you had protection. Besides we need to test it out first to see if it will work and that means a live subject." We had been walking toward the paddocks as we were talking so our discussion would not interfere with Viv's class.

Harry smiled again and led me into the paddock where the sheep were grazing. There was Hagrid and Will busy sheering the sheep. "Well?"

I stared for a couple of seconds looking at the naked sheep, "Brilliant Harry, a truly inspired idea." Then yelled over to Will, "Make sure you are careful with that wool we are going to be needing it to make armor." Will and Hagrid both look a pit perplexed by this request, but then just agreed to make sure they sheared the wool of clearly without gouging it. We headed back toward the Manor when Andy came running out of the Gatehouse.

"Just the person I was looking for." She grabbed my arm and started dragging me back to the gatehouse. "It's Dora, she is in labor and just about ready to deliver."

I turned to Harry and yelled. "Tell your mother to get to the Gatehouse now and go get Remus and drag him back here, he is going to see his son born whether he likes it or not."

Nym was handling the pain well, but after sixteen hours it was clear she was getting tired and after dilating to five had been at the same for over an hour with no sign of advancing. So Lily and I decided to give her a little potion we had cooked up just in case this happened. It would ease her pain, give her energy to push once she dilated to ten and ease things on little Teddy to cut back on the trauma of being born. Remus was at her side the whole time, though it was clear that he was not dealing with child birth very well. I gave him the flask I had in my pocket.

"So is this a potion to help me through childbirth as well."

"In a roundabout way, its whiskey, as you well know sometimes it a non-magical remedy that works best."

He laughed and took a swig, then a deep breath. "Thank you for being an understanding friend."

"Just remember this when I'm the one giving birth and Sirius is the one in your position."

It was clear that the idea had not crossed his mind till now, and once he thought about it for a few he began laughing so hard that he started to cough. Which then got Nym to laughing that was until a contraction hit her so hard that she screamed.

Lily helped her back into proper position and I checked to see where she was at. The potion had done its job and Nym was now ready to have the baby. All it took was five good pushes and Teddy was out and breathing. I wrapped him in a towel and had Remus cut the cord. Then handed him off to Lily who took him over to a warm bassinet to clean him up, while I applied a healing ointment and finished up with Nym. "He is okay isn't he Cassy?"

"He is perfect Nym, and you did great. You are going to be a good mother, but right now I need you to lay back. You can feed Teddy in a just a bit."

Andy and I then helped Nym into her bed and got her propped up so she could receive her son, who Remus brought over.

The looks of love that passed between Nym and Remus made me want to find Sirius and let him know just how much I loved him. Lily handed me the bag of my medical supplies and we both slipped out to let the new parents enjoy the moment, Andy saw us to the door and said that she would spend the next couple days with Nym to make sure she and Teddy and Remus were all fine.

Back at Mawr Manor everyone waited for word and to be honest after nearly what was now close to eighteen hours all I really wanted was to cuddle up in a nice, soft, warm bed with my husband. I let Lily make the announcement while I headed off to bed. Sirius helped me get ready for sleep while asking me about how things had gone. I gave him a rundown including how well Remus had handled being a birthing couch, which gave Sirius a good laugh till I pointed out that he was next in line for that little experience. His reaction was not what I had expected since he had spent a great deal of the last few weeks reminding Remus how he had turned green the day Lily gave birth to Harry.

They had all been at Lily and James flat joking around when Lily yelled that it was time. All four had gone running to see if she was okay, only to find her standing in the kitchen in a large puddle of water. James immediately gathered up Lily while Sirius flag down a hack, in a bit of a panic, leaving Remus and Peter to clean up the mess in the kitchen. Remus at the mention of having to clean up the puddle turned three shades of green and Peter had to rush him into the loo before he had that to clean up as well.

So to have Sirius wrap his arms around me from behind with a hand over my just starting to round tummy and then say, "I'm looking forward to the experience", was not the reaction I had anticipated. He was so calm, so loving, and so very earnest that it really took me by surprise.

"You really are looking forward to being there with me aren't you?"

"Well of course, where else would I be? After all I was there when this little miracle was made I am looking forward to welcoming her or him, into this world and if we are lucky it will be one without the threat of Tommy Boy hanging over our heads."

"Oh that reminds me, do you feel like writing runes on a sheep tomorrow?"

He laughed and hugged me, "Well now that's a rather interesting proposition. Now what are you thinking of having me do. I mean I'm not sure after all Aberforth got himself tossed into Azkaban for doing some rather interesting things with goat. "

"You know good and well I wouldn't have you do anything that is, well unnatural so to say"

He laughed again seeing me becoming a bit uncomfortable with the direction this conversation had turned. Alright it's not a problem Cassy Harry already asked me and yes I'm up for it."

I woke early the next morning with the creation of the magical armor on my mind. The armor wasn't really armor so to say, it was actually a woven tunic made from fabric that spells had been woven into throughout its creation. First the spinning of the thread, then the weaving of the fabric, then the cutting of the cloth, and finally the sewing of the garment, because of how complicated and how many steps it would take I'm sure that is why the spell had long been forgotten.

I was going to need to recruit help with this one and the one person I know that had experience in the proses of weaving from start to the finish was Molly. I grabbed the scroll and headed down to the village to talk to her about the project and to try and talk her into helping with it. This was not going to be easy.

Down at the Haven as Molly had now named the new Weasley home I found Molly alone. All the younger family member were either up at my place or Harry's.

"So what is it that has the Lady of the Manor coming down to see me," Molly said as she invited me in.

Thing between Molly and I were not hostile nor were they buddy buddy they were cudgel leaning toward cold. In fact Author had told me that Molly was feeling rather isolated since everyone but she had a job to do. Honestly though up till now there was little that Molly could teach that we didn't already have someone better for. "Honestly I need your help."

The look on her face was one of suspicion and elation. "And what would that be with."

"This," I held out the clearly very old and fragile scroll.

She magicked it over to a table and gentle unrolled it. After nearly an hour of silent while she read, she sat back and took off her glasses. "It's going to take a great deal of work and my teaching several of the girls how to spin and weave, as well as how to follow a pattern. As for the sewing part that I will do myself since it is the key to the linking of the spells."

"So you are willing to take this task on?"

"Of course Dear, Author has told me how hard you have been working trying to find a way to make the shields mobile and undetectable so that Harry will survive the battle with You know Who. You do understand though that I am not doing this for you, that I am doing it for Harry."

"Of course Molly, and you understand that I only came to you because I only have some skill in working with a loom and the boys have told me how every year you have made them sweaters and scarves starting from the raw wool." This was a bit of friendly verbal sparring since it was clear that we were both very proud women and had to in our own way come to an understanding. With that said Molly smiled a genuine smile and we then sat down to discuss what all was going to be needed.

By the end of our planning it was decided that Cissy and I would be working on the two looms, while Molly taught Alicia, Angelina, Katie, and Lavender how to spin the wool into thread. We both figured that Lavender wouldn't miss much by being pulled out of class and would do well to learn a skill like spinning. That then left Fleur and Hermione to cut the patterns. Fleur since she was skilled at charms and outside of helping Bill and Remus with the DA class she didn't have anything that would pull her attention, and Hermione since she was so gifted magically and so ahead of everyone else in all the classes that she could be pulled to help with this without any problem. Finally as Molly had already stated she herself would do the last and most critical step of sewing the tunics together

I had Hagrid bring the two looms I had found up from the village and set them up in the now unused practice room, the dueling chamber at Trunk was larger so the spell practice had moved over there. Then I had the four spinning wheels that I had found placed in the library since there was room for them there and finally the cutting tables would be my unused second lab benches and Molly had pulled out her sewing machine and placed it next to the bench in the room we had used as the infirmary.

While I was busy getting the work areas set Molly took it upon herself to go to the sheepherders in the area and acquire the wool that we would be using to make the thread. Its quality was very important since the strength of the wool and its heath was going to determine the strength of the thread and its ability to take to the spells.

While Molly and I were busy with the making of the tunics Sirius set to work on making sure the rune circle could be made mobile. Sirius had found two sheep that would work well for the testing of the rune ward circle and spent a days on each sheep carefully scribing out the runes since it was a two part spell that had to be linked.

The test of the first part of the protections was working well. Every spell that Remus and Draco had cast at the two sheep had done little more than minorly slow the animals in their feeding. That was all accept the AK, that had cause the one sheep to pass out and the other to lose the food it had eaten and be unable to move for nearly ten minutes. Good results, but an AK would still leave the person on the receiving end vulnerable, better than dead, but not being able to respond back was not what we wanted, and Draco proved by firing off three AK's in a row that under heavy fire the target could then be killed. So all we could hope at that point was that the tunic would be the key to stopping the Avada Kedavra completely.

That then left Sirius and Harry finding an ink receipt that could be used to write the runes on the subjects, but would disappear once applied.

Then there was the teaching our growing little army how to fight in a way that would not be expected. Aunt Viv had been working with the old quidditch team on this but on Harry's urging she expanded the training to include the rest of the students and teachers. That was all accept Nym and Dennis. Nym since it was decided that she needed to be kept out of the upcoming battle for Teddy's sake, and Dennis because I had promised Will to keep his boys out of the battle if possible. Colin though had pointed out to his father that he owed Harry his life and would fight at his side with or without the train, so Will relented figuring the training would increase Colin's chance of surviving.

Viv pointed out after watching Draco, the Death Eaters standard attack was either as a large group action or as one on one duel. Americans had given up this form of battle long ago for a much more effective form. That being the hit and run sniper attack.

"So we are going to learn to fight like Indians," Was Neville's comment.

"To be persist Mr. Longbottom you are learning what is commonly called guerrilla tactics. Now everyone will need their wands since wandless wordless may be great for close in combat, for distance precision targeting you will need to use your wand."

That was when it became clear that several of our young charges no longer had their wands. Like Harry and Ron they had lost then in combat with the snatchers or as in Neville, Dean and Hana's cases they had not been sent with them when they were sent to St. Mungo's.

"All right then, if I may," Garrick looked to Viv who stepped back letting him take the instructors spot. "Over the last few months I have found that this manor has on its grounds and abundance of fine trees for wand wood and we have in the stables a Dragonling, two Pegasi, several Unicorns, a Thestral, and a Hippogryph."

I interjected at that point. "We also have the ashes from Fawkes last flaming and vail threads that could be used if someone were to ask nicely."

Ollivander bowed to me in recognition of my offer of these very rare ingredients. "Now a good combat wand is different from your standard wand. As we have discussed in class different cores and wood make for a wand to react differently to the spell the caster is asking the want to cast. So we are now going to all head into the groves and you are each going to find a tree that speaks to you. Then we will see what core ingredients feel right and I will help each of you to fashion a combat wand that will not only serve you well, but will be compatible with your personality."

Even Harry was up for this little excursion as were Hagrid, Frank and Alice. Sirius went with to help Garrick in the harvesting of the ingredients, since he had inherited Merlin's knowledge of wand making. And since Molly had not yet finished acquiring all the wool we were going to need there was time for the girls to make their new wands.

Most of the wands were fairly straight forward with the acceptation of three, Harry's, Hermione's and Luna's. Luna had somehow found a Faire nest and had managed to talk the fairies into giving her several of their discarded wings. These combined with a small branch that our Whopping Willow shook off that landed at her feet would make for a lightning fast and very deadly wand. Hermione's wood was Rowen and her core was a gift from the Pegasi of two small feathers from the lead edge of Hera's wing. This would make for a Wand that could deflect any dark art spells and would grant her great agility in battle. That left Harry's, he had not found a tree that felt right till he rounded the manor to find and elder bush that laid a long stalk at his feet. Then in the stable Graveling rubbed up against him leaving behind three long Hair from his mane, and finally once they were in my lab Harry was holding the three strands up and a thread of the vail that was in the small box I had placed on the table rose of its own accord and wrapped the hairs tightly into a single rod. Garrick and I could do nothing but start in astonishment while Sirius quickly shaped the elder rod into a proper wand to house this astonishing core. It was a new Elder wand and like its predecessor it would have the ability to be a combat wand unequaled, but it would also be a wand that could transverse life and death.

We had managed to get the first of the tunics finished when I was asked by Amelia to please come to London, even though she had promised to try and come out to the manor all the work she was doing had kept her from following through with her promise. Now though she felt that we really needed to speak face to face. Susan had told her of all the preparations we had been making and she had in turn reported these to the Queen who now wished to discuss our plans to be sure that they would not unduly endanger the citizenry. So Sirius, who would not let me leave without him, and I hooked the sleigh up and headed out. In my bag the scrolls with the instructions and spells for making the weaver's armor, not something that I or he were willing to trust to floo travel or apparition, they were just to irreplaceable.

We arrived around noon and were escorted straight to the Queen's parlor for a private meeting. When we entered we found Amelia, The Queen and Augusta Longbottom. I looked at Amelia for an answer.

"I'm sorry Cassy but Augusta is an old friend of Her Majesty from back during the Second World War, and when there was no-one who could tell her who the mystery woman was that took her son, daughter-in-law and grandson out of St. Mungo's she came here to see if Her Majesty or her people had any ideas of who might fit the description the orderly gave her."

"Really Amy, all you needed to do was ask." I turned and locked eyes with Augusta from under my hood; I had not even had a chance to take off my traveling cloak, my hood still up and my baby bump still hidden. I slowly reached up and untied the bow allowing Sirius to remove my cloak. "So yes Augusta, Frank and Alice as well as Neville are under my care." I then turned to face the Queen, "Your Majesty was there some other reason you summoned me?"

She first turned to address Augusta, "Well Agusta, my Dear Friend, you now have your answer and as I told you when we first spoke, I trust Cassian completely with my safety so you should now be assured that your son, grandson and daughter-In-law are in good hands and safe. Now I need to discuss more pressing matters with her in private."

Augusta rose and was then led out by the Queen's page, a rather sour look on her face at being dismissed so. Elizabeth then turned to me and with a smile presented her hand with its signet ring for me to kiss. I gracefully came forward and obliged her, then stood and straightened my robes. "Well now, may I ask if there is an announcement to be made?"

I looked down at my small but growing bump, then over at Sirius who was smiling broadly. "The heir to the Merlin's title should arrive in mid to late October. Now is there some other reason you asked me here?"

"Yes Cassian, We have heard many things that have made us concerned and we wish to hear of these things from you directly rather than through our agents." She then gestured for Sirius and I to take seats and make ourselves comfortable before I gave her a full rundown of what we had been doing.

At the end of our meeting, the Queen asked that I aid Amelia in whatever way I could since she and the wizards under her were in need of the woven armor so they could better do their jobs.

It took us a week to teach Amelia's command the technique and spells for the creation of the weaver's armor and how to make the ink and runes for the body spell wards. So while we were there we took advantage of the time to fill Amelia in properly on all that was happening at the Manor.

It had taken nearly a month, one trip to London thanks to Susan telling Amelia about the Weavers Armor and my having to assure the Queen that everything was going well and not endangering anyone, and Molly buying up all the raw wool in the area to be able to make tunics for everyone, that was even including Rose, Dennis, Teddy, Nym, Dan, Emma, and Will who would all stay behind safe at the Manor, plus a few extra just in case we needed them.

Sirius and Harry had managed to create an ink that would be absorbed by the skin after a couple of hours leaving the wearer without any visible sign of the runes, and without any loss of the protections. Practice with the new wands and tactics was very encouraging and lead to me having to remind people to go gentle on each other or they were going to run through all the healing potions I had on hand.

The plan was set and all that needed to be done was to send out the bait. Harry called up his patronus and gave it the message to take to Voldemort. "So Tom where are you? I'm waiting for you. It's time we finish this. I will be waiting for you at where the Giants Dance on the Salisbury plain. Come and face me Man to Man or be labeled a coward."

I sent word to Amelia, who promised to have her people as well as the last remaining members of the Order there to aid in the battle that we knew was coming.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Three is a Magic Number

We had chosen Stonehenge for the open location. There was nowhere to hide an army, nowhere to set up an ambush. Harry wanted this to be one on one and Sirius and I would make sure that was just as it was going to be. The tree line was a good half mile back in all directions from the ring of the berm, giving an unobstructed view all around and there were a couple things about Stonehenge that no-one accept Sirius and I knew, things that would make sure no-one could interfere in the duel.

Harry stood waiting within the Sarsen circle. While back within the tree line waited our little army, Just in case they were needed. After all we would have been fools to believe Voldemort would come alone. I could tell from where I stood hidden by a cloaking charm that Harry was nervous. I could barely hear Sirius whisper to Harry to breathe and calm himself or he would be giving Voldemort the upper hand. To remember that he had the upper hand now and that we would make sure that Nagini was taken care of.

That was when the black contrails appeared in the sky. Sirius and I blended into the stone of the Sarsen trilithons and waited. As Voldemort Apparated into the circle we activated the old wards that had been used by the priest when the circle had been used for religious ceremonies. All the others that had been apparating in were bounced out of the henge to the far side of the berm, which included Nagini.

Voldemort began to scream, "What is this trap? You said you wanted to have a final duel, now you trap me here?"

Sirius and I came out from where we had been concealed. "That is right Tom, it is to be a one on one duel and you will abide by the rules of the duel." Sirius walked to the northern gate.

"You will face off with Harry without you followers and without your snake." I made my way to where the southern gate had once stood. "We have activated the wards that will only allow those we have specified to remain within. Any of your followers that try to enter will be forcibly expelled. Only when the duel is over will the wards drop."

Harry paced back and forth keeping Voldemort at the same distance as he ranted about the conditions of the duel. "So Tom are you saying that you will not face me in a proper duel, that you will not observe the formalities?"

This was all it took to finally get Voldemort to focus on his opponent. He and Harry bowed and began their battle, while out on the plain, skirmishes were now breaking out. Nagini was slithering around the outer edge of the wards trying to find a hole she could squeeze through, her anger at being separated from her master was making her movements rapid and erratic.

Lights and explosions sounded from inside the stone circle as Harry matched Voldemort spell for spell, keeping any spell from finding its target. It was all up to Neville to finish off the last of the horcruxes now and give Harry that upper hand he needed to finish this battle off. Amelia and her people Apparated in and began to cut a path through the opposition. To my left Hermione and Ginny were both trading spells with Bellatrix who had once again found her way out of custody. Shacklebolt was facing off with Thickness and clearly had the upper hand. All around I watched as Death Eaters and other followers of Voldemort went down either captured or dead.

Then I saw Neville looming large over Nagini. The snake raised its head readying to strike when Neville reached into his tunic and unbeknownst to anyone into Hermione's beaded bag pulling out Gryffindor's blade and as Nagini lunged to strike, Neville side stepped and took her head with one swift stroke.

From the far east side of the plain an army of Voldemort's followers erupted screaming and heading for where our much smaller group of defenders were fighting. That was when I heard a horn sound and knew the Cavalry was coming.

Inside the circle Voldemort faltered, giving Harry the opening he needed. Reducto was all I heard and Voldemort began to fall as if in slow motion, his last act was firing an Avada Kedavra at me, not at Harry, but at me. I felt it hit as Sirius cut across the henge to get to me. I felt light headed for just a second then it was gone. I was still alive and when I reached my mind inward to the babies I found they were fine. I winked at Harry to let him know all was well and he fired a second Reducto and we watched as what had been Lord Voldemort crumbled to ash. Sirius wrapped me in a protective embrace to reassure himself more than me that everything was well.

Across the plain before Voldemort army could reach the battlefield the horn sounded for a second time and out of the tree line drove a Blue Ford Anglia leading a troop of Centaurs and an army of magical creatures including Grup. I watched as the car began running over a group of Acromantulas that were at the leading edge of the enemy army. Then a loud roar sounded from above that announced the arrival of Charlie, Gaylord and the dragon riders. I scanned the open field that was riddled with the bodies of Voldemort's followers and finally found Viv who was standing in the middle of the plain with our regrouped defenders smiling and watching as our larger army made mincemeat of the enemy force.

Harry Stood on top of the King's Stone and put his wand to his throat. "THE DARK LORD HAS FALLEN AND WILL NOT RISE AGAIN. LAY DOWN YOUR WANDS AND SURRENDER TO THE GUARD OF THE CROWN OR KEEP FIGHTING AND DIE AS HE DID."

Amelia and her people found all the marked Death Eaters with the exception of Snape and the Carrow twins. Clearly they had not answered when their Lord called and just as clearly we would need to head to Hogwarts to retrieve them. On our side we had a few injuries, but nothing serious. The tunics had worked as they were intended to.

A small team consisting of Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Harry and I headed to Hogsmeade the school and the freeing of its students and those who would stand against Voldemort's blood purist tyranny our next goal. The others would be coming as soon as the cleanup was finished. An alarm spell sounded as soon as we apparated into Hogsmeade bringing out a small company of Voldemort's followers. The skirmish lasted less than two minutes with Lily taking out most of the company with an area effect stunner. Leaving the would-be Death Eaters to be restrained by the villagers of Hogsmeade, we made our way to the gates of the school to find them firmly locked. By this point I was not in any mood to deal with any more of this shit. I pulled the Merlin's badge out of my tunic and placed it to the gates. It took about a second, maybe two for the Gates to fly open.

The Carrow twins stood with a number of Slytherin students barring our way into the school. "Your Dark Lord is dead, slain by Harry Potter. His followers who had come at his summons are now either captives or dead as well. You have two choices, either join them in death or lower your wands and surrender."

My words were greeted with disbelief and sneers. From behind me it came, I felt the spells pass to either side, disarming the Carrows and several of the students. Harry then came up to stand next to me, he held aloft Tommy Boy's wand, the wand that had once been Dumbledore's and now was Harry's. The few students who still held their wands dropped them and went running back into the school. Sirius and Remus put the Carrows, who were still standing there with looks of disbelief on their faces, into full body binds then summoning rope to them tightly bound the two back to back and hung them like a piñata from the overhang at the entrance to the school allowing us to finally entire the great entryway without any further resistance..

Severus Snape stood at the top of the grand staircase, "You are not welcomed here, this school is under my supervision as its Headmaster."

I once again held my badge aloft. "This school now is under the protection of the Merlin. You, Headmaster, have proven yourself to be a danger to the students you were to protect and as such have forfeit your position and title. You can either surrender to the authorities to answer for the crimes that have been inflicted upon your charges or you can choose to face off with me, I assure you that the latter would be folly."

Just as Severus was about to answer my charges and challenge Lily stepped out from behind me. His eyes went wide and his wand fell to the floor, "How?"

Lily walked up the stairs and kicked the wand well out of his reach. "How Severus is of little concern. All you need to know is that your betrayal of James and I failed. Did you really believe that if James was died and my son was killed that I would come to you? How could I ever love someone who has treated me child with such animosity, only helping him when it served you? He has told me everything, all you put him through and all the lies you told him about his father. What friendship we once had is gone, sacrificed to your obsession with me. I do not wish to hear how you scarified, or how you had to play your part in Dumbledore's plans. That doesn't give you absolution from the way you took out your hatred for James on Harry and your clear bias that lead you to abuse any student not of your house. You will answer for all you have done here all those crimes that Dumbledore managed to protect you from that with his passing have come to light. As for me, I do not believe you ever really loved me. I was more a position you thought was your and that James had stolen. You could not see how your own actions drove me away and have destroyed any chance I could have ever been the friend I had when we were children."

Her words were like hammer blows shattering him where he lay on the steps till all that was left was a weeping lump. Like they had done with the Carrows, Sirius and Remus made sure there was no way that Severus could either escape or cause any more trouble and we headed off to talk to the other teachers and make sure the school was free of any more of Voldemort's people. The first person Harry, Sirius and I went off to find was Professor McGonagall, Remus went to find Flitwick, James went to find Sprout, and Lily went to talk with Slughorn.

We found Minerva in her office going over reports from Madam Pomfrey. Harry entered first.

"Harry how, you can't be here Snape will have you arrested and sent to You Know Who."

"Not a problem anymore Professor, Voldemort is Dead."

Her hands went to her mouth, then I walked in. "And as for Severus Snape he has been taken into custody"

"You, you are the Witch all my students told me about, the one on the train who help to stop the Death Eaters attack." That was when Sirius came in and put his arm around me. "Oh my heavens the children weren't seeing things Sirius it really is you. They said that you were there as well but I told them they must have been mistaken since you had died." He smiled as she came around her desk, to hug Harry first then Sirius. "So now may I ask who this young witch is, if one of you two would make a proper introduction."

Sirius Bowed, "Minerva McGonagall may I introduce to you Cassian Emrys Black my wife and the Holder of the title of the Merlin." I did a curtsy.

"Oh my, this is a Day of surprises." By this point the others had retrieved the three other heads of house and had led them to Minerva's office. Harry wordlessly summoned Minerva's chair from behind her desk and had it held behind her to catch her when she saw James and Lily. "My word, she looked from them to me. "Then the stories are true. The Merlin has the ability to bring back the dead."

"Yes and no," I was just starting to explain when I heard the sound of Amelia and her people out in the hall. I waved the others to go join them while I sat down with the four heads of house to fill them in on the last six months and all that had happened. That was before I started going over what some of the changes were going to be to Hogwarts to get it up to speed with Salem and some of the other schools that had learned to work it tec in unison with their magic. That was when Viv and Garrick walked in.

"Vivian what are you doing here and who is running Salem?"

"Hasn't my niece told you?"

McGonagall looked at me once more, "You don't mean to tell me that this is little Cassy, Rianna's little girl?" My Aunt just nodded. "That means that you brother…."

Before she could finish Viv cut her off. "Yes Minerva, my brother and his sons were the heirs to the Merlin's title, but they are all gone now as is Rianna. Cassy is the only family I have left. So I stepped down from my post to come here and be with her. And a good thing to since she has some big plans for this place that Garrick and I are going to help you and your staff with."

"That is if you are willing to stay on as Head Mistress." I interjected.

Minerva nodded her agreement and I then bowed out to let Viv take over with telling the staff of the updates that would be made.

The students who had been with me all these months were now running in all directions to let the rest now that the fear and torment was over. The few teachers that had not joined us in Minerva's office came out to see what all the commotion was about to, stopped where they stood at the sight of the defenders of Britain making their way through the school.

Draco led a small group of defenders to the Slytherin common room where they quickly put an end to the little bit of resistance that was left, while Lily and I headed to the infirmary. There we found about two dozen students in various stages of healing. Madam Pomfrey came out as we entered, "Oh my, Lily Evans, but they all said you were….." Lily hugged her and started to explain as I was giving the rapid heal potion to the students. "What are you giving my students?"

"The same thing she gave me, Neville, and Seamus." Hanna and Susan had come in to check on Ernie, who was in one of the beds I had yet to get to. Madam Pomfrey pulled the card I had given the orderly from St. Mungo's out of her apron and held it out; I nodded and went on with my work. After I had given all the students a starter dose of the rapid heal, I handed a large flask of it to Madam Pomfrey and instructed her on its use and that if she needed more to just tap the card and I would have some rushed to her.

Harry then came in and signaled me that it was time to go. Amelia's people would see to the last of the mop up here as they had on the plain. It was now time to finish the main clean up by heading to the Ministry.

It was clear that word of Voldemort's fall had yet to reach the Ministry, with the help of the house elves we Apparated directly into the Ministry main hall. Aurors still loyal to Amelia joined us in a fight against those loyal to Thickness, who had been among the dead of the battle on the Salisbury Plain. I grabbed Harry and Sirius and headed to where Harry had told me Umbridge had been holding her headhunts, persecuting those who had been born to non-pureblood families. It was one of the small trial chambers off the Wizengamot chamber. I could feel the badge getting warmer the closer we got to the main chamber. Sirius and Harry stunned the two Snatchers outside the small chamber as we passed through the entry arch. Dolores's reaction was to start yelling for guard. I reached into my tunic and robes and pulled out the badge of my position, it flared to life calling Fawkes to me.

"These proceeding are at an end and you, Dolores Umbridge, are under arrest for crimes against humanity."

"How dare you enter this chamber? How dare you try and falsely arrest me and with two known criminals?"

"How I dare is by the rights of Blood and Title. I am The Merlin the Head of the Wizengamot by Right of Blood, and by this badge symbol of my position as High Magi of All of Britain." Her face had turned an unappealing shade of green. "Lord Voldemort has fallen, he is dead as is Minister Thickness and the Head of the DMLE Yaxley. There is no-one for you to fall back on or to ask for assistance, so I advise you to surrender your wand and come quietly or suffer their same fate."

She reached for her wand and looked as if she were going to hand it to me, then she pointed it and began to say Ava… but before she could finish the word Harry and Sirius both hit her with a Reducto and like a frog that had swallowed some pop rocks she exploded. But not before Fawkes moved in front of me to stand as my shield.

The rest of the cleanup at the ministry had gone just as one would have expected small skirmishes with those who clearly supported the blood purist movement and Voldemort. As those little battles took place in the upper floors of the Ministry the sounds of explosions followed, Harry, Sirius and I as we walked to the Wizengamot chamber. Fawkes had flown ahead and was sitting on his perch next to the Merlin's seat. Sirius opened the gate that gave access to the seats of the counsel and stepped aside to let me enter first. I stroked the arm of the throne-like seat then sat down. The torches in the chamber flared to life and my seat that had appeared to be a dark brown wood frame shimmed to a lustrous gold. Sirius pointed Harry to the seat that had always been that of Lord Potter while he took the seat for Lord Black. Fawkes then moved to the center of the chamber at my command and flared full, filling the room with a blinding light. When the light died back to normal the seats that were held by those heads of house and department heads that were not under arrest or dead were sat by their holders and in the center of the chamber on the floor was a table with a large parchment and quill.

The voices around me were all questioning how it was they were here and who it was that was seated in the Merlin's seat. Amelia was in the seat to my right and was once again wearing the robes that designated her as Head of the DMLE.

"My Lords and Ladies, will you please take your seats, "she called. "You have been summoned here in an emergency council session at the behest of the Lady Merlin."

I stood and held my badge of office aloft. "My name is Cassian Emrys-Black the last direct heir to House Emrys and the title of Merlin. I have been summoned back to Britain by the Crown to deal with Voldemort and his threat to Britain and its people. The Seat of Minister of Magic is now merged back with the Merlin's seat as head of this august body." I stood and walked down to the chamber floor. "You will see as you look around you that many seats now sit empty, their holders are either being held for crimes they have committed while working at the side of Tom Riddle AKA Lord Voldemort, or they are dead, as is Lord Voldemort." I walked over to the table and lifted the quill. "This body used to answer to the Crown as the ruling body over Magical Britain, as does the House of Lords and the House of Commons."

"We do not answer to Muggles", came a voice from the upper tier of seats.

If that is your choice then you don't have to; you also don't have to sit in this council. But it was that attitude that brought Voldemort to power and it was his actions as well as the actions of his followers that have forced the Crown to summon me as Merlin back to Britain. My actions here reactivate the power of the Merlin's seat and its authority as head of Wizarding Britain. So if you chose to not abide by the Crown's rule, and my authority as the Crown's titled representative, you can step down as Head of your House and let another take your place. If no member of your House wishes to abide by the Crown's rule, then your Family may leave Britain. Those of you who chose to keep your seat are asked to swear an oath of loyalty to the Crown and its rule as your ancestors did under the reign of Arthur."

The first to come forward was not Sirius or Harry but, Frank Longbottom, and then came Elphias Doge, then Amelia Bones, and so on; Sirius and Harry had waited till the last. Only two of the seated members chose not to sign and they both were suspected of being Voldemort supporters.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

A New Day

It had been the first of what would be some very long days and weeks in the world of wizarding Britain. Things had changed, in most people's opinions for the good, but there were still those who felt it hadn't, and that was clear by the small skirmishes that continued to break out for weeks following the death of Voldemort.

Amelia had managed, between her duties as head of the DMLE and training her replacement for the Queen, to have Bones manor rebuilt to a more comfortable home for her and Susan. They moved back home less than a month after the war was over.

Back at the Manor, all our guests and students had packed up and headed home. That was all except Remus and Nym, Andy and Ted, and Cissy and Draco. Remus and Nym were very happy to continue to live in the Gate house with little Teddy even after Remus accepted his position back at Hogwarts, choosing to Apparate home every night. Ted and Andy wanted to stay close to their daughter and grandson which allowed Andy to babysit while Nym returned to work as an Aurous and Ted was working at Amelia's side as one of the prosecutors overseeing the trials of the Death Eaters. While in Cissy and Draco's case they still had nowhere else to go.

Will Creevey and the boys found that they had come to love living at the manor and taking care of the livestock and magical creatures and choose to stay on after the war was over. Will had confided in me that he felt that this was the fresh start he and the boys had needed since his wife's death. While Aunt Viv had taken up residence at Hogwarts to help with all the training of staff and Garrick, who chose to hand the wand shop over to his nephew, joined her at the school.

Over at Trunk Manor Harry and Hermione finally took some time to relax. While Lily and James and Rose prepared to move to Hogsmeade. Professor Slughorn had chosen to step down as potions master as long as Lily was willing to take his place, and Madam Hooch had chosen to retire as well allowing Headmistress McGonagall to ask James to take the position, while Rose prepared to start her first year at Hogwarts. Hagrid also moved back to the school, retaking his position as the teacher for Care of Magical Creatures.

As for the Weasley clan, Molly and Arthur had remained in the village till the end of July then moved back to the rebuilt Burrows along with Ginny. The Twins, along with Alicia and Angelina, had rebuilt the shop, expanding it and adding two apartments for each to have a place to be with their soon to be wives. Bill and Fleur had come to love the village and decided to stay in the home there after Bill's parents had moved, and Ron and Lavender choose to stay in the home Harry had given them.

I was not happy having my friends move up north so soon, but as Remus pointed out, with Harry and Hermione staying in Truck Manor and choosing to keep it where it was, Lily and James were just a quick pop away, and of course they would be home for holidays and other occasions.

Besides if anyone was moving away it was Sirius and I, since with my having to fulfill my obligation to the Crown, I was spending weeks at a crack living at the row house with Sirius working beside me at the ministry. We both felt it was safer for our precious package if I weren't popping back and forth daily, I looked down at my baby bump and smiled. I had still not told anyone that it was twins.


End file.
